


Take Flight!

by atlasoverthemoon



Category: Haikyuu!!
Genre: Aged-Up Character(s), Alternate Universe, Alternate Universe - Boy Band, Angst, Background Relationships, Band Fic, Enemies to Friends to Lovers, Enemies to Lovers, Fluff, Fluff and Angst, Friends to Lovers, Getting Together, Hurt/Comfort, Karaoke, M/M, Slow Burn, Songfic, they're literally all in bands
Language: English
Status: In-Progress
Published: 2020-10-01
Updated: 2021-02-22
Packaged: 2021-03-07 22:27:28
Rating: Teen And Up Audiences
Warnings: No Archive Warnings Apply
Chapters: 18
Words: 114,150
Publisher: archiveofourown.org
Story URL: https://archiveofourown.org/works/26755042
Author URL: https://archiveofourown.org/users/atlasoverthemoon/pseuds/atlasoverthemoon
Summary: Hinata Shouyou is an aspiring musician in Tokyo. He hasn't had the easiest time in following his dream, but he's content with slowly making his way into the music industry. That is, until a new and upcoming band scouts him at one of his small gigs. But of course, nothing ever works out that nicely because the lead singer of the band, Kageyama Tobio, hates his guts.Or, the bands are preparing for the upcoming Spring competition in Tokyo. Music was meant to be simple, straightforward. Easy. This, however, was anything but.
Relationships: Hinata Shouyou/Kageyama Tobio, Iwaizumi Hajime/Oikawa Tooru, Kozume Kenma/Kuroo Tetsurou, Tsukishima Kei/Yamaguchi Tadashi
Comments: 203
Kudos: 140





	1. Twist of Fate

**Author's Note:**

> Hello to all my gals, guys and enbies! This is my first fic on AO3, so I hope you enjoy! I've been procrastinating my essay and decided to write this Band AU instead LMAO. This story will follow multiple POVS and relationships, but will mainly focus on KageHina and their band. 
> 
> Like I said, this is my first fic so please let me know if there are any mistakes or if anything is confusing. I am usually quite busy, but I fell in love with the concept for this story, so I'll be planning to update once a week (probably weekends but who knows). If you think I should make a Tumblr so that it would be easier for y'all to communicate with me your concerns and ideas, I can definitely do that.
> 
> Thank you for choosing to read this story :)  
> Enjoy!
> 
> Disclaimer: I do not own the rights to Haikyuu or any of the songs used in this work.

The room was filled with a dim, yellow light. Its atmosphere was warm with idle chatter and the smell of freshly brewed coffee. As Hinata walked through the group of small, circular tables, he looked around the quaint coffee shop. The café was busy, especially considering it was 8:00 on a Friday night in a small corner of Tokyo. Hinata smiled to himself, weaving his way to the other side of the room where a small stage was set up. He plopped his bag down at the foot of the steps as he walked up onto the stage. His eyes landed on the electric piano situated behind a small mic stand. Hinata perched on the small stool behind the keyboard, facing out to the crowd in the shop. He ran the tips of his fingers lightly over the black and white keys. His chest filled with warmth as he thought about the music he was about to play.

One day, when Hinata was in middle school, he sat in his small living room in front of the TV. His mother had been watching some award show or whatnot, and young Hinata felt that watching the show would be a lot more interesting than doing the homework that sat in his schoolbag. After about fifteen minutes of the same boring acceptance speeches, the lights of the stage dimmed. Hinata’s breath caught in his chest as a spotlight appeared, illuminating a sleek, black instrument. A few pregnant moments passed, when all of a sudden, the man seated behind the piano clanged onto the keys. It startled Hinata, and the following chords that poured out from the performance were no less frightening. The song was erratic with a haunting melody. So much emotion spilled out of the mans fingertips, reaching Hinata even in the comfort of his own home, behind a TV screen. The notes reverberated in his bones and wrapped around his chest like vines. That was the day he fell in love with music.

Clearing his throat into the mic, Hinata grabbed the attention of everyone in the room. A hush fell over the audience as Hinata began with a bright smile, “Good evening everyone! I’m Hinata Shouyou, a university student here in Tokyo. If you’ve been here before, welcome back! And if it’s your first time, thank you for choosing to spend your Friday night here with us!” He gave a little spiel about the shop and how The Little Crow had small concerts every Friday. He voiced his appreciation for the owner of the shop, Ukai Keishin, who raised a coffee mug from behind the counter in response. “Well, without further ado,” Hinata cheered into the mic, “let the show begin!”

**Victor’s Piano Solo - Danny Elfman**

Hinata placed his hands on the keys. He took a slow, deep breath, and pressed into the first note as he exhaled. He slowly played the first few chords. His hands flitted over the instrument with ease, his eyes closing shut as he felt the music. This first song was a short instrumental, and Hinata allowed himself to be carried away by the melancholic song. He swayed his upper body with the music as the song grew in intensity and volume. He pressed into the keys a little rougher as he neared the end of the song, ending with an abrupt hit of his last chord. A small murmur erupted from the audience as rounds of applause and snaps echoed through the room. Hinata smiled to himself and began his next song.

After that day Hinata had discovered his passion for music, he had asked his mom for weeks to buy him a piano. She eventually caved due to Hinata’s unwavering persistence, and Hinata taught himself how to play on a second-hand keyboard. He remembers studying how to read sheet music more than his actual homework. In high school, Hinata had saved up enough money to buy himself a better electric piano, one that he wasn’t afraid to break with the slightest of increased pressure from his hands. He began writing and composing his own songs, and in the blink of an eye, music had taken over his life. Around that time is when he had discovered The Little Crow. He had noticed a flyer for the Friday night concerts at the little coffee shop and practically begged the owner to let him play. With great annoyance, Ukai had allowed him to one Friday night and was utterly blown away with the natural talent the orange-haired boy had for playing the piano. Sure, his hands were small, much like the rest of his body, but Hinata could move his hands over the keys with a speed Ukai had never seen before.

Playing at The Little Crow had become a regular for Hinata. He’d play there as often as he could, which was almost every other week. People seemed to enjoy his music, and he’d grown a little following over the past couple of years.

After graduating high school, Hinata had applied to one of the elite music schools in Tokyo. However, during his audition, he had barely gotten halfway through his piece when he was interrupted. One of the judges on his panel, a short old man, had stopped him from continuing his song. The man had told Hinata that he had no discipline in the way that he played. He explained to Hinata how his posture was always slouched and even the way he positioned his hands and wrists were all wrong. Hinata tried to explain to them that he was completely self-taught, but this had displeased the man further. The orange-haired boy was kicked out of his audition with his self-esteem at an all time low and dreams crushed.

Hinata had cried for what had felt like weeks, but as he looks back on it now, it couldn’t have been more than a couple of days. He would have given up on music completely if it hadn’t been for his sister. He could still hear Natsu’s condescending voice telling him how pathetic he had been for crying over the audition. It had surprised him to hear her talk to him like that. But then she continued, saying how she’s never seen him back down from a fight before. It was just one school, one audition. There’d be other opportunities. And she was right, he wasn’t one to give up. So, he took that horrid and bruised memory, and used it to fuel the fire within him, making his passion for music just grow even more.

Now in his second year of university, 20-year-old Hinata couldn’t be happier. He was double majoring in Music and Business, and he was able to play music every week at the shop. He was content with how things had gone, as he was slowly making his way into the music industry.

After about a half hour of playing, Hinata began his final song for the night. The joints in his hands were beginning to ache, but he welcomed the feeling. He loved absolutely everything about playing piano. He huffed out a breath through his grin as he began to play.

**Someone You Loved - Conor Maynard** ( Italics - Hinata)

_I'm going under and I fear this time there's no one to save me_

His voice flitted through the speakers over the crowd. All his songs had been instrumentals so far, and a new hush fell over the café. Everyone had ceased whatever they were doing to watch the young boy sing with a constant grin plastered to his face.

_This all or nothing really got a way of driving me crazy_

_I need somebody to heal_

_Somebody to know_

_Somebody to have_

_Somebody to hold_

Hinata had written the lyrics to this song when he was still in high school. It was a song of his past, and he had never really liked it, until about a week ago when he had finally figured out was what missing from the composition.

_Now the day bleeds_

_Into nightfall_

_And you're not here_

_To get me through it all_

_I let my guard down_

_And then you pulled the rug_

_I was getting kinda used to being someone you loved_

Although it was a solemn song, Hinata was still smiling. Just the act of playing music could put him into a trance of everlasting happiness. Even as memories flitted behind his closed eyelids as he sang and emotion poured into his voice, Hinata was content in this moment with his life. He hopes that he will make it big someday, become a musician that people will recognize. But right now, just playing his music, he was happy. Hinata finished his song off with a single elongated note. He opened his eyes to an elated crowd. Everyone was clapping, a few tables whooped and cheered for him. He chuckled as a smile crinkled his eyes.

“Thank you everyone! Please, welcome to the stage The Little Crow’s next performer, Michiko!” As Hinata took his leave and the next person climbed onto the stage, he grabbed his bag and made his way over to the counter.

“Oi, Hinata! Great job up there, kid,” Ukai called out to him in greeting as he dried off a mug. Hinata leaned his forearms onto the counter top across from Ukai. The man was tall, at least taller than Hinata, with blonde-dyed hair and piercings. Ukai’s appearance had intimidated Hinata when he had first met the man three years ago, but now he knew better. While he did have his scary moments (Hinata internally shivered as he remembered the time he had accidentally bumped into a table and caused four mugs to fall and break– yeah he thought he would lose his life right then and there to the hands of the bottle-blonde), Ukai was very supportive and an overall great person to be around.

“Thanks Ukai-san! It was great to play again. And we’ve got a pretty good crowd tonight!” Hinata chirped cheerily to the older man.

Ukai chuckled lightly as he began making a drink. “Yeah, kid. You’ve been getting popular. Great to see you getting some recognition.”

Hinata’s chest filled with pride and his eyes twinkled. “Thank you, sir!” he practically yelled. A vein popped up on Ukai’s forehead and he slid Hinata a glare. Hinata just chuckled nervously in response, feigning innocence.

Abruptly, someone cleared their throat behind him. Hinata jumped and twirled around, nearly knocking himself off his feet. He straightened as he noticed they were two customers, and gave a quick apology for blocking the counter.

Before he could fully turn away, one of the customers spoke. “Oh! Wait, Hinata-kun. We came over to talk to you, actually,” the man with silver hair said as he rubbed a hand on his neck and chuckled. Hinata decided right then that the man must have been an angel. Hinata couldn’t help but gawk at the beautiful man. He even had a cute beauty mark under his eye! And his voice sounded so smooth. Mr. Angel chuckled again at Hinata’s staring, “Um, Hinata-kun?”

“Yes!” he replied maybe a little too forcefully. “Yes,” he repeated, “Hi, I’m Hinata Shouyou. Nice to meet you!” He gave a small bow.

“Nice to meet you as well,” Mr. Angel said sweetly. He smiled and Hinata felt he could faint. _There's no way he’s real_ , Hinata thought as Mr. Angel continued. “My name is Sugawara Koushi, but you can just call me Suga. And this,” he said, jutting thumb to the man with brown hair and broad shoulders standing behind him, “is Sawamura Daichi. This was our first time coming here for the little concert, and we were quite impressed with your performance.”

Hinata felt like he was floating. “Thank you, Suga-san, Sawamura-san,” he exclaimed with another bow.

The two men chuckled. Hinata straightened as Sawamura spoke, “Just Daichi is fine.” His voice was deep and velvety, and Hinata couldn’t believe how perfect these two people in front of him were. “We actually wanted to talk to you about that last song you just played. Did you write that yourself?” Daichi asked.

Hinata nodded his head excitedly. “Oh, yeah! I wrote the lyrics a couple of years ago, but just finished the composition, so that was my first time playing it!”

“Wow, for that being your first time performing the song, it was very good,” Suga complimented him. Hinata thanked him with another bow, and Suga snorted. “You’re cute Hinata-kun,” he said with a wink, and Hinata could feel the blush creeping up his neck. Suga outright laughed at the sight. “Daichi, he’s so cute! Can we please keep him?” Suga asked the other man.

Daichi elbowed Suga in the side, lightly. “Quit patronizing him,” he muttered to the laughing man, then turned to Hinata. “I apologize for his antics, he likes to use his beauty for evil.” This comment made Suga laugh even louder, causing a few people from the near tables to peer at them. Daichi gave an exasperated sigh, “Anyway, we wanted to talk to you because the two of us are in a band together.”

“Wah, that’s so cool!” Hinata exclaimed before he could stop himself.

Suga recovered from his hysterics to reply to the boy, “Isn’t it? Well we’re still a relatively new band, only been together for a little over a year. And we’ve been scouting around trying to find a new band member! We were looking for a songwriter who could also be our second vocalist, and we think you’d be a perfect candidate.”

Hinata stared at the men before him, wide-eyed. His brain chose that moment to malfunction. “Wait what,” Hinata asked incredulously. “You’re offering me a spot in your band?”

“Well, we want you to come and try out,” Daichi replied. “We have a gig tomorrow night if you’re interested in seeing the kind of music we play, and then we can hold a little audition for you in front of our other bandmates right after.”

“Oh, but we do hope you’ll come! I’m sure you’ll enjoy our music, and our bandmates–,” Suga began excitedly until he stopped himself, and gave a nervous glance toward Daichi. Hinata looked between them, confused as they had a seemingly telepathic conversation. “Well,” Suga continued with a small sigh, “I guess they can be enjoyable.” He gave a small laugh at Hinata’s sudden look of concern. “Don’t worry they’ll love you, you’ll love them, it’ll be great,” he said with a small wave of his hand.

“We hope that you’ll just come and give it a shot. We really do think you’re quite talented,” Daichi finished with a genuine smile.

Hinata couldn’t process anything that was happening. This had to be a dream, right? Hinata just swallowed thickly, and gave a small nod.

Suga cheered a small squeal. “Yay! I’ll get your number, and then text you the details for tomorrow!” They exchanged numbers, and then the two said their goodbyes and walked out of the coffee shop. Hinata stayed in that spot off to the side of the counter, staring at the door Daichi and Suga had walked out of.

The weight of his phone in his hand seemed to have doubled with the newly added contact under the name “Suga-san ;)”.

This had to be a dream, right?


	2. Gives You Hell

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> Hey everyone! So I just grinded out this chapter because I am *still* procrastinating my very important school work. Oh well. We get to see some different POV's in this chapter! Hope you enjoy, and please let me know if there are any mistakes or areas of confusion :)
> 
> Also, I made a Spotify playlist for all the songs used in this fic. It will be continuously updated as I write the story! It's called "Take Flight!" or here's the link :P: https://open.spotify.com/playlist/1kg8BSrYpjNdj4GghoPlNp?si=wW_xkGjeSV-83E4DkvM1sg
> 
> Enjoy!
> 
> Disclaimer: I don't own the rights to Haikyuu or any of the songs used in this work.

Hinata walked past the bouncer and into the venue. He looked around as he moved past groups of people toward the middle of the crowd. The venue was a lot bigger than Hinata had expected, considering how Suga and Daichi had described their band. Seeing the amount of people made Hinata excited, and he began to rock on the balls of his feet in anticipation. Hinata was able to find a spot that had a clear view of the stage. The stage was dark, but he could see some movement in the shadows. He knew the group would be starting soon, and he couldn’t wait. Last night, he could barely sleep. All he could think about was Suga and Daichi’s offer. He wondered what instruments the two of them played for their band. He had come to the conclusion that Suga was vocals; the man’s appearance and voice were so angelic. He wasn’t sure what Daichi could be, but Hinata had decided to guess he was the bassist. 

**Kids - Current Joys** ( **Bold** \- Kageyama)

Hinata was lost in his thoughts when all of a sudden music started playing from the speakers. He was confused, as the lights were still off and music was already playing. _Were they having technical difficulties with the lights?_ Hinata questioned when, at that moment, the lights came on. He squinted against the bright fluorescents, momentarily blinded as his eyes adjusted. And his breath caught in his throat.

There they were. The band. A soft beat rolled over the venue as a mellow guitar rift played. He spotted Suga immediately, but was surprised when he noticed Suga was the one playing the guitar. He saw Daichi behind Suga, tapping lightly on the drum set. To the far left of the stage was a _very tall_ blonde guy on bass. And lastly, Hinata’s snapped to the lead singer as the first line of lyrics were sung.

**Oh I’m just a kid**

**I never use my brain**

**I only use my heart**

**And my imagination**

Hinata was so taken aback by the lead singer’s voice. He really hadn’t been expecting that. He sung with a monotonous, almost bored tone, but Hinata thought it worked for the song. The man was dressed in all black– cuffed jeans and a black sweater with a silver chain necklace that glinted in the light as he sang. His black hair seemed to glow blue under the intense stage lights. There was a short instrumental with the blonde’s bass echoing through the venue. It shook Hinata’s bones. He used this time to look at the rest of the members. They were all wearing black, save for a few orange bandanas: Suga’s wrapped around his upper left arm, Daichi’s on his right, the blond’s around his right wrist, and the lead’s hanging out of his back pocket. And that was when Hinata noticed the large black banner behind the band with their name, “Take Flight!” in bold, white lettering. Hinata couldn’t seem to breathe properly.

**Oh I’m just a kid**

**I've never seen the world**

**And I haven't quite decided**

**If I'm a boy or a girl**

The lead singer continued on with the song, lazily. He lightly tapped his foot and nodded his head along to the simple beat, swaying his long bangs over his eyes.

**Oh I’m just a kid**

**I’m afraid of the dark**

**But I’m obsessed with ideas**

**One day I’ll go far**

Another short instrumental played, and Hinata was really enjoying the song. He wanted to join them. He wanted to be a part of this band so badly. They were so cool. The lead singer was so cool. He couldn’t wait.

**Oh I'm no longer a kid**

**And everything has changed**

**There's nothing in my heart**

**And lightning in my brain**

**So listen up you kids**

**And hear what I say**

**Don't listen to your brain**

**And follow your dreams (I say)**

Before the song even fully ended, the black-haired boy stepped backwards and away from his mic. His hands fell to his sides and his head drooped down. He turned away from the audience and walked into the back corner of the stage as the final instrumental ended. Suga then spoke into the mic in front of him. “Hello everyone!” Suga screamed into the microphone. He received a loud response of screams and cheers. Hinata was surprised that it was Suga talking to the crowd and not the lead singer. Said lead singer was chugging down a bottle of water in the corner while Daichi talked to him. Hinata couldn’t really tell what was off with the guy, but he didn’t even seem to enjoy playing for the excitable crowd. Daichi and the singer seemingly finished their conversation as Suga laughed into the mic. “Thank you all for coming! We are… Take Flight!” With that final exclamation of the band’s name, Daichi began pounding on the drums and the crowd went wild with the unexpected start of a new song. 

**Miranda Beach - COIN**

Suga strummed his guitar for a few beats with Daichi, before the lead singer and bassist joined in at the same time.

**I never believed in a miracle**

**But I'm watching her by the waterfall**

**A punch in my teeth when I least expect it**

The lead’s deep voice again rolled over Hinata, and he couldn’t stop the way his heart skipped a beat at the sound. This song had a completely different vibe from the first one as the crowd became jittery with energy.

**She could never say anything wrong**

**But she could barely say anything at all**

**Right?**

**It's alright**

The lead singer appeared to be a little more into the performance as he sang, both of his hands wrapped around the microphone. Maybe the conversation with Daichi had made him perk up, or at least try a little more with the performance.

**Stone cold feeling**

**When my words don't reflect my intentions**

**Stare at the ceiling**

**What's going on in her head?**

He leaned forward as he sang in a higher octave. Girls in the front of the crowd began reaching up toward him, and then he pulled back. He began swaying his head side to side in a little dance.

**Oh no**

**She's got me feeling undone**

**And she knows it**

**Miranda Beach**

He looked out into the crowd, eyes half lidded. His shoulders moved heavily with every intake of breath, and Hinata couldn't help but become hypnotized. Then, Suga was singing back-up vocals as the instrumental picked up. Hinata was taken away by the performance. They looked like they were having so much fun.

**Alone in the balcony**

**My two left feet on the mezzanine**

**A tear in my chest when I least expect it**

The lead singer ripped his microphone from its stand, and began walking about the stage. He walked to the left of the stage, and began to crouch down in front of a group of squealing girls. However, he always moved away so quickly whenever he began interacting with the crowd.

**Ignored so naturally**

**Yet so unaware accidentally**

**Right?**

**That's alright, yeah**

The black-haired boy moved back to his stand, and replaced the microphone. The lead singer continued to caress his microphone as he sang with his eyes closed. Hinata could tell he was getting lost in the music, and Hinata himself was as well.

**Oh you're wasting all of my evening**

**With eyes just like a television**

**Oh baby you make it look easy**

**What's going on in her head?**

Hinata couldn’t take his eyes off of the man singing. Something about him was so entrancing. It was as if he barely had to try to be perfect. Hinata was jealous and, yet, it sent a spark of determination through him. Then, the lyrics were sung in a lower tone that sent chills down Hinata’s spine.

**Oh no**

**She's got me feeling undone**

**And she knows it, yeah**

**Oh no**

**She's got me feeling undone**

**And she knows it**

**Miranda Beach**

The song finished as the lead singer and Suga sang the back-up vocals together, harmonizing perfectly. Suga strummed at his guitar with an excited intensity, and it seemed like Daichi was hitting his drums with more power as well. The giant grin never left Hinata’s face as he watched them play. The ending instrumentals faded right into the next song.

The set lasted around an hour, and then the band was finally thanking the audience for an amazing show before heading back stage. Hinata waited around for a couple of minutes as people began to file out of the venue. He was starting to feel nervous and like he _really_ needed to use the bathroom. 

Hinata hurried off toward a walkway to his right. He really hoped there was a bathroom wherever he was heading. As he was speed walking around a corner down a random hallway, he nearly jumped for joy as he saw a neon bathroom sign. He basically sprinted the rest of the way and was entering the bathroom when he bumped into something hard. The something he had walked into grunted. Hinata immediately pulled back to apologize, but it fell from his lips as he looked up at the person. Glaring down at him was the lead singer of Take Flight! _Wow_ , Hinata thought as he continued to stare dumbly at the taller man, _he’s so pretty up close._ He hadn’t noticed from the crowd, but the singer had the _bluest_ eyes he had ever seen. Even if those eyes were glaring daggers into him, Hinata couldn’t help but admire how nice they were. 

“Ah! S-sorry,” Hinata finally stuttered out. “You’re– uh, you’re the guy! From up there…,” he dumbly pointed toward where he figured the main part of the venue was. Of course now was the time he couldn’t seem to form coherent sentences. 

The tall man standing in front of him sneered, peering down his nose at Hinata. “Tch. I don’t do autographs,” he said haughtily as he brushed off Hinata and moved out into the hall. Hinata stood in place, dumbfounded, for approximately .2 seconds before he raced after the lead singer.

“Oi! I wasn’t gonna ask for an autograph!” Hinata yelled as he began walking behind the taller boy. 

“Yeah, right. You totally just snuck back here to use _our_ bathroom and _definitely_ not to ask the band you just watched for autographs,” he said back without turning to look at Hinata. “Or were you hoping for a picture maybe?”

“Hey! I really wasn’t–,” but before he could finish, Hinata was interrupted by a shout from a familiar voice.

“Ah! Kageyama!”

“Suga. Good. Could you help me with this fan–”

“Hinata-kun! There you are! I was looking for you,” Suga called out as he noticed the person behind the taller boy.

Hinata noticed the so-called ‘Kageyama’ straighten as he realized Suga was talking to him. He came up to the side of Kageyama and side-eyed him, but Kageyama wouldn’t meet Hinata’s eyes. “Hey Suga-san. Sorry, I kinda wandered around,” he said with a small, nervous chuckle.

“Oh, nonsense. You’re perfectly fine! I just couldn’t find you and you weren’t answering your phone,” Suga reassured as he ruffled the short boy’s hair. Kageyama’s eyes widened slightly at the small display of affection. “And I was looking for you, Mister,” he continued as he poked a finger at Kageyama.

“Well, I’m right here,” Kageyama responded dumbly, looking to the side, away from Hinata and Suga. 

Suga suddenly punched Kageyama in the gut. The poor, unsuspecting boy doubled over as he tried to catch his breath. “What the fuck, Suga?” Kageyama wheezed out through gritted teeth.

“That’s what you get for being a smart ass,” he replied simply. “C’mon Hinata-kun, everyone’s waiting for you!” With that, Suga slung an arm around Hinata’s shoulder and excitedly ushered them toward the band’s practice room with a sulking Kageyama following behind.

They walked into a door somewhere down the hall. Hinata was surprised to see a pretty spacious room, adorned with a gray couch and a small TV in one corner, and the other corner was occupied by a plethora of instruments and equipment. Then, his eyes stopped abruptly on a black baby grand piano positioned in the middle of the room. He immediately gravitated toward it, completely ignoring the many sets of eyes curiously watching him. He stepped up to the delicate instrument and glanced his fingers against the sleek wood. Hinata rarely ever got to play on an _actual_ piano, one that wasn’t a keyboard. His fingers tingled with anticipation to play. He was about to sit at the bench when Suga cleared his throat.

Hinata finally remembered where he was and instantly felt embarrassed for his rudeness. He jumped slightly, then bowed lowly. “Thank you for having me! I’m Hinata Shouyou! Nice to meet you!” Hinata screamed into his bow. After a beat, he straightened and was met with two warm smiles, a look of indifference, and a scowl.

“Well, Hinata, thank you for coming. We’re glad you decided to show up. This,” he pointed to the bored-looking blonde wearing glasses, “is Tsukishima Kei, our bassist. And this is Kageyama Tobio, our lead singer,” Suga finished pointing to the man who had a deep-set scowl pointed his way. “Hinata, we had a piano delivered here to our practice room for you to use. We can also set up a mic for you if you’re planning on singing as well?” Suga asked gently.

Hinata was so glad for this angel, as his nerves began to calm with the sweet cadence of Suga’s voice. “Um, I was just gonna do an instrumental… if that’s okay?”

“Of course,” Daichi responded with a reassuring smile. He gestured toward the piano, “Whenever you’re ready.”

Hinata looked over his shoulder at the piano, and a smile stretched across his face. This was what he was born to do. He sat down on the bench, and lightly trailed his fingers across the keys as he always did.. He pressed out a single low note, stepping onto a peddle to test it out. It was perfect. The small smile never left his face as he slowly closed his eyes and took in a slow breath.

**Yuri on ICE - Taro Umebayashi**

Hinata began with a single note and then let his fingers fly. It was a soft melody playing from the baby grand, and it filled the room, bouncing off of the walls and filling his ears. Hinata’s smile widened. He felt good. Hinata hit a single, high note and paused for a moment before going back into the same sequence with deeper accent notes. This was a perfect piece for Hinata to show off his composition skills as well as the speed at which he could play. He had written this song just last year, and it had to be one of his favorites. It was a song of hope, passion, and love. He continued playing, as he moved with the music as it picked up speed. He was getting more into it as the song met its crescendo. He played with all of his emotions, just like the man he had watched on the television screen that one fateful day. Hinata moved slowly as he hit the notes quietly, letting them barely leave the piano, before building them up again in volume and speed. When writing this song, it was as though the notes had just flowed out of him. All he had to think about was his love for playing music, and this piece basically wrote itself. The result was something beautiful, something he was so incredibly proud of. He couldn’t believe he was sharing this piece with other musicians, people who cared about music just as much as him. Hinata got lost in his own performance. He played with fervor as the ending of the piece was nearing. With a few final, fading notes, Hinata finished his song.

He slowly lifted his hands from the keys and peeled open his eyes. He looked to his right toward the group of men. They were all staring at him wide-eyed; even the boy who Hinata had thought could show no emotion seemed genuinely surprised by his performance. Hinata looked to Kageyama, but the boy’s head immediately snapped downward, his hair shielding his eyes from Hinata’s view.

Suga began erratically clapping, and Hinata’s gaze slid to him. Hinata realized Suga looked like he was on the brink of tears, a wide smile plastered on his face. Daichi began clapping along as well, although it was slower than Suga’s furious pace. “That was beautiful Hinata-kun!” Suga cried out. Hinata felt himself blushing, but his smile only widened. Pride spread through his chest as he was praised further by Suga and Daichi.

“You composed that?” a deep voice asked, and Hinata realized it was the blonde named Tsuki-something. Tsukihiro? Maybe. Hm, he’d just have to ask Suga again. The boy had a hand on his chin, looking at Hinata inquisitively.

Hinata nodded. “Just last year.”

“Hm. I’ll be honest, you were right, Suga,” the blonde said, turning to the two older members of the group. “He is quite impressive.” Hinata yelled out a thank you, and the tall boy rolled his eyes, going back to his stoic state.

Hinata turned to look at Kageyama. His eyes were still downcast. Everyone seemed to be waiting for his response. Hinata looked around at the others, who just stared at Kageyama without saying anything. _Whatever_ , he thought as Hinata took it upon himself to ask the gloomy boy.

“Oi. Bakageyama.” This seemed to catch the boy’s attention. His head snapped up, and Hinata was once again met with his fierce blue eyes. He and everyone else seemed to be very surprised by the nickname. “What’d you think?” Hinata continued, choosing not to bother with the worried glances Suga was throwing his way.

The question broke Kageyama from his stupor, and the scowl settled back onto his face. Apparently, Kageyama decided not to even acknowledge Hinata, and turned to Suga. “Yes, he’s good enough. But I told you, I don’t want another band member.”

Suga gave a long sigh to this. “Kageyama, we’ve discussed this.”

Kageyama shook his head. “And you all didn’t listen to me.”

“Look, Daichi and I think it would be good to switch things up. Y’know, try some new kinds of songs. And even Tsukishima said he would appreciate the help writing songs. Having Hinata in the band would be perfect for us,” Suga explained gently.

But Kageyama just shook his head again, looking down at his shoes. “We’re not having a second vocalist,” he gritted out.

A scoff emanated from the blonde. He was giving Kageyama a look of disgust as he said, “Look at the King, giving his demands.”

Suga immediately scolded the blonde for his comment, but that was enough for Kageyama. His hands curled into fists, and he was staring at the taller man with so much intensity, Hinata thought he could freeze hell over with just a single look. There was a long moment of silence as no one dared to move a muscle. Then, Kageyama whipped around and stormed out of the room, slamming the door behind him so hard Hinata felt the vibrations in his feet. 

He barely had anytime to comprehend what had just happened.

Suga gave an exasperated sigh, and then turned and hit the blonde upside the head, jostling the taller man’s glasses. “Nice going, dumbass.” The blonde just fixed his glasses and said nothing, deciding to go back to sitting on the couch and tuning his bass. “I’m really sorry for him, well for the _both_ of them,” Suga apologized to Hinata. “It’s really usually not this bad. Just Kageyama… he’s not great at processing his own emotions, so he can get a little _meh_ ,” he emphasized the last word with a little flip of his hand. 

Hinata just nodded slowly, eyes trained on the ground in front of him. He stood up from the bench. “Well, I want to thank you for letting me try out for your band. I really appreciate your interest in me,” he said to the three of them with a bow. “I wish you all the best of luck.” With that, Hinata began walking toward the door.

“Wait! Hinata-kun,” Suga started. “We would be more than happy to accept you into our band. I mean, it’s gonna take a little convincing with Kageyama, but I’m sure he’ll come around.” Hinata could tell that Suga was getting desperate, but there was no way that Hinata could accept the offer now.

“I truly would love to be a part of your band. It’s been my dream to be a musician. But…,” Hinata looked right into Suga’s eyes as he continued. “I’m going to have to decline. I don’t want to be a part of a band if I’m not welcome by everyone. And if it really bothers Kageyama that much, then it’s not meant to be. He was here first, and I’m not gonna be the one to take this away from him.” The remaining band members were taken aback by Hinata’s response. He hadn’t really expected that himself, but he knew it was the right thing to do. “Let me know when you guys play again, I would love to come and watch. You were all amazing.” Suga’s shoulders deflated slightly, but he gave Hinata a small smile and nodded. They said their goodbyes, and Hinata left the venue.

On his walk home, Hinata felt like crying. He had been so close. His dream had been displayed out for him like a buffet, only to be snatched away by a slight gust of wind. But it was okay. It was all going to be okay. He was still young, and like he said before, he was content with where he was.

* * *

Kageyama angrily finished off his third milk box. He crushed the carton and threw it into a pile on his floor with the others. Man, Tsukishima knew how to _piss him the fuck off_. And that annoying tangerine called him _Bakageyama_ , what the fuck? Kageyama couldn’t take it, he felt like his head was about to explode with how mad he was. He took in a deep breath and exhaled slowly, just like he had been taught to, to deal with his anger. He leaned his bed back against his dorm room wall. He sat in silence trying to calm his fraying nerves, but all he could think about was Hinata and that _stupid_ song. Why did Hinata have to actually be good? Why couldn’t he have sucked so that it would have been easier for Kageyama to reject the idea of a second vocalist? _The world is a cruel world_ , he reminded himself.

He allowed himself to think back to Hinata’s performance. Kageyama didn’t want to admit it, but Hinata really was something else. The song was beautiful. And the human-tangerine had played such a fast-paced song with his eyes closed _the entire time_. Not once did he look at the keys, and he never missed a note. And his smile. Hinata had been smiling the entire performance, moving his body with the melody. He seemed as if playing came as easy to him as breathing. It pissed Kageyama off. How could Hinata smile so genuinely while playing? How could he show all his love for music on his face? Kageyama was jealous of how freely Hinata could play, and the realization only added to the fire. He grabbed one of his pillows and smashed it into his face. He let out a hoarse scream, partially muffled by the cotton pillow. It went on for what felt like hours. When he was finally done, his throat was raw, and he cursed himself for possibly injuring his voice for the next couple of days. He threw his pillow at the adjacent wall.

* * *

The four of them were seated around a coffee table in Kuroo, Bokuto, and Akaashi's apartment. Kuroo thought that they would have enough time to work on the setlist Saturday night for their gig on Sunday. Of course, this was bad judgement on his part, as he somehow forgot who exactly his bandmates were. They’d been sitting for nearly three hours, and they’ve barely got the first half of their set figured out. Kuroo glanced across the low table to see Bokuto and Akaashi completely engrossed in each other. Akaashi was sat in the larger man’s lap as they whispered sweet nothings to each other. Each chuckling every few seconds at what the other person had said. Yeah, he definitely should have known nothing would get done with this group. As if the two lovebirds didn’t see each other everyday anyway.

Kuroo rolled his eyes, then looked down to the person next to him. He stared down at the smaller boy and had the sudden urge to run his fingers through the badly-dyed hair. Kenma was currently resting his head on Kuroo’s left thigh, playing a game on his Nintendo switch. The blonde boy was also not helping with the setlist, but honestly, Kuroo didn’t want to say anything out of fear that the boy would move his head away. _Damn, I’m fucking whipped._

“Bro, you’re so fuckin' whipped,” he heard a voice bite out.  


“Oi, says you!” Kuroo exclaimed back to Bokuto, hoping Kenma wouldn’t move from his spot because of the commotion. Lucky for him, the universe was in his favor for the night. “My dear bandmates,” Kuroo said, placing a hand to his heart as he began his speech, “please can we just finish the last half of our set? We literally have to play this tomorrow,” he reminded them, rubbing his other hand through his haphazard hair. 

Really, he knew it was his fault for not working on it earlier, but he was not going to dwell on that now.

“Hmm, he’s right. I want to go to bed soon, Kou,” Akaashi said to the owl boy. Said owl boy perked up and vehemently agreed that they should definitely finish the setlist right now. Kuroo sighed. _At least they were willing to work now_ , he thought to himself as he began sifting through some of their songs on his phone.

They went through lists of songs that they could play, and rearranged the order of the set about a million times until they had something they were satisfied with. It was now nearing one in the morning, Kuroo’s eyes felt heavy and his back ached from sitting on the floor. He remembered he had a research paper he had to finish before the gig tomorrow. Kuroo sighed for the umpteenth time that night. He said goodnight to Bokuto and Akaashi as they moved to their room at one end of the apartment. He went to get up until he remembered the small person perched on him. Kenma had fallen asleep about an hour earlier, and Kuroo had honestly forgotten he was there.

“Kenma,” he whispered as he gently grabbed the boy’s shoulder. The bottle-blonde slowly stirred awake, blinking his catlike eyes up at Kuroo. “Hey, Ken. It’s late, wanna sleep over?” Kuroo asked lowly with a small smile. Kenya merely nodded and started getting up.

Kuroo’s smile widened. He loved sleepy Kenma; he was always so soft and cuddly. Kenma walked into Kuroo’s room without a word, and Kuroo followed. The smaller boy crawled onto the bed and curled under the large comforter. The two had slept in the same bed plenty of times; they’ve known each other since they were small children and always had sleepovers growing up. This was nothing out of the ordinary, and yet Kuroo was so excited to be close to his little human. Once Kuroo settled into the bed, Kenma curled up against Kuroo’s chest. He felt like his heart would explode.

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> Foof, this is the first time I'm writing with multiple POVs. I usually just stick to one, but there are so many different sides to this story that I want to write, so I'm giving it a try! Next chapter should be up by this weekend!
> 
> Fic Spotify playlist: Take Flight!  
> https://open.spotify.com/playlist/1kg8BSrYpjNdj4GghoPlNp?si=wW_xkGjeSV-83E4DkvM1sg


	3. Somebody That I Used to Know

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> Hello everyone! Here's the next chapter :P this one's longer so I hope you like it! We've got a lot of stuff going on in this chapter, so sorry if it's boring or a little confusing but it's all just setting up for the plot! I've got some exciting stuff planned for this story, and I can't wait to write it for ya'll (especially the IwaOi hehehehe) so I hope ya'll stick around!
> 
> Hope you enjoy!
> 
> Disclaimer: I do not own the rights to Haikyuu or any of the songs used.

Hinata’s phone dinged twice from its spot on his desk. He was sat on the small bed in his dorm room, with sheets of music strewn across his comforter. His roommate, Terushima, had left to go to baseball practice not too long ago, so Hinata was using this time to work on some homework for his Music Composition class. He placed his pencil between his teeth as he reached over for his phone.

**From: Suga-san ;)**

Hinata-kun! Are you busy today?

**From: Suga-san ;)**

The band is gonna watch a concert tonight if ya wanna come! Gotta scope out the competition :P

He was thoroughly surprised to see the contact name. Hinata hadn’t expected to hear from Suga again after what had happened last night. He really did not feel welcome due to a certain someone, no matter how nice Suga was.

**To: Suga-san ;)**

thanks for the offer Suga-san but idk if I should…

He wanted to ask if Kageyama would be there, but he decided that the black-haired boy would most definitely be in attendance. _This sucks_ , Hinata thought as he flopped down on his back. He really wanted to go to the concert. He figured it would be nice to hang out with the band and get to know them more. But what would be the point if one of the members despised him? His phone dinged again next to his head.

**From: Suga-san ;)**

Don’t worry about grumpy ole Kageyama, he just needs to suck it up!! You should come :D

Hinata stared at his phone for a while. Every time he was about to decline the offer again, he stopped himself before he could hit send. He heaved a sigh. _Well, if he already hates me,_ he reasoned, _it’s not like it can get any worse._ Hinata ended up accepting the invitation. Suga was elated and promptly sent Hinata the information. Hinata let his phone fall from his hands back onto the bed. His hands flopped down as he stared at his ceiling. 

_It can’t get any worse._

_Right?_

* * *

Suga smiled to himself as he put his phone down on the nightstand. He really hoped Hinata would come tonight. Suga wanted Hinata to join them _so badly_. He hadn’t been able to get the image of Hinata playing out of his head. That first night him and Daichi had gone to the little coffee shop, they really hadn’t expected to find anyone of interest, especially so fast. But from the second Hinata started his song, Suga was captivated. He remembered how excited he was when he tugged on Daichi’s arm and whispered, “He’s playing with his eyes closed!” And they had stayed closed throughout the entire performance, as if Hinata memorized the keys like the back of his hand. Suga could feel every ounce of emotion that flowed from each note, as the young man moved with the melody that cascaded from his fingers and over the entire café. Not only that, but the musician played with the brightest smile adorned on his face.

Watching Hinata, Suga realized, made him love music all over again. The happiness that it so evidently brought Hinata seeped its way under Suga’s skin, and he was intoxicated by it. He wanted to watch Hinata play for the rest of his life.

An arm snaked around his middle. Suga smiled as he felt warm breath fan over his ear.

“What are you thinking about,” a deep voice whispered.

A shiver ran down Suga’s spine. He turned over in the man’s arms to face him. “Good morning,” Suga whispered back sweetly. His fingertips feathered lightly over the muscular arm, leaving a trail of goosebumps in its wake.

Suga hummed contentedly as Daichi leaned forward and gave him a soft kiss. His lips were chapped and warm, and it made Suga’s mind fuzzy.

“I was thinking about our little miracle boy,” Suga answered after he pulled away slightly. Their breath mixed as Daichi’s body rumbled with a low chuckle. His arms tightened around Suga, bringing the silver-haired man closer to Daichi’s chest. 

“Ours?” Daichi inquired with a little smirk.

Suga giggled as he brought a hand up to Daichi’s face. He trailed the sharp jaw with his finger. He lingered at Daichi’s bottom lip, and the larger man mock-bit at his hand with a smile.

“Mm, yes _ours_. I have this innate urge to protect the little bird with my life,” Suga replied honestly before he snatched Daichi’s lips. He swiped his tongue on Daichi’s lower lip, immediately allowed access to deepen the kiss. Daichi’s large hand travelled up from his lower back to cup the back of his head. Suga inhaled sharply as he pressed harder into Daichi’s firm body. He wrapped his arms around the man’s neck. They kissed slowly for a couple of minutes, relishing in the feeling of each other with soft caresses of their tongues.

Suga pulled away barely, letting his lips brush over Daichi’s as he spoke. He looked into the other man’s eyes with a mischievous glint. “Ooooh, Daichi, if I didn’t know any better I’d think you like me,” Suga spoke menacingly.

Daichi just laughed, familiar with his antics. “Hm, and you always have a way of ruining the mood, huh,” he asked, moving suddenly so that he hovered over Suga’s lithe body.

Suga looked up to Daichi and allowed his hands to trail up bare arms and over broad shoulders. He let out a giggle as Daichi swooped down to catch his lips.

* * *

Music blasted through Hinata’s headphones as he walked up to the concert building. It was a lot bigger than the venue Take Flight! had played at last night. Suga had mentioned that they were ‘scoping out the competition’ and Hinata momentarily felt nervous for the band. Why were they competing with a band of this caliber?

Hinata stuffed his earbuds into his back pocket as he entered the large concert space. There was no stadium-style seating, and Hinata let out a sigh of relief. At least the place wasn’t _that_ big. He looked around, and there had to be nearly a hundred people idling around. Hinata didn’t know how he was supposed to find Suga guys in this crowd, so he made his way over to the back of the room as he shot Suga a text. From the backend of the room, Hinata tried to spot a fluff of silver hair, but the people directly in front of him were too tall. He made his way along the wall, searching out for familiar features.

He let out a soft “oof” as he walked into someone. _Damn, I really need to start paying attention to where I’m walking._ Hinata looked over to the boy he had accidentally bumped and offered an apology. “Hey, sorry! I wasn’t looking where I was going.”

The slightly taller boy didn’t seem all that bothered, as he just accepted with a small nod, not looking up from the device in his hands. Hinata thought he looked a little odd, with badly dyed, shoulder length blonde hair with his overgrown roots showing. He made to move away, when he fully looked at what had the boy’s undivided attention.

“Oh! Is that a Gameboy?” Hinata asked excitedly. The sudden attention seemed to disturb the boy as his shoulders raised and his hair fell more over his face. “I haven’t seen one of those in ages,” Hinata continued. “I used to play all the time!”

The boy’s eyes flicked up to Hinata briefly, then back down to the Gameboy. He was definitely quiet, but Hinata didn’t mind that much. He liked quiet people, they were really good at observing their surroundings.

“I’m Hinata Shouyou,” he offered brightly with a toothy grin.

The boy seemed slightly surprised, his eyes widening the barest amount. Maybe he wasn’t used to people actually trying to talk to him.

“Kozume Kenma,” he replied lowly. “But just Kenma is fine.” Hinata beamed at this. He figured that just getting the boy’s name was a huge feat. 

“It’s nice to meet you, Kenma! What game are you playing?”

It took a moment for him to respond, but then he said, “Pokemon.” Kenma’s eyes kept flicking up to Hinata, probably unsure of what Hinata’s intentions of the conversation were.

“Wah! I used to play Pokemon all the time!” Hinata replied cheerily. “Who’s your go-to starter?”

This question got the boy’s attention. He finally fully looked at Hinata without the shield of his long bangs. All Hinata could think of when peering into Kenma’s eyes were the watchful eyes of a cat.

“Charmander.”

“Oh! Charmander’s my favorite, too! My mom would always call me her little Charmander because of my hair!” Hinata pointed to his head and, maybe he was imagining it, but he thought Kenma may have even smiled.

Hinata grinned at the boy. He was about to ask another question when they were interrupted.

“Kenma.”

Hinata looked to the owner of the voice, and nearly pissed himself. The guy was so tall _. Why was everyone so tall?_ His arms were crossed over chest and he wore an intimidating look pointed directly at Hinata. And then Hinata noticed his hair. Half of it stuck straight up while the other half came down to nearly cover one of his eyes. _Did everyone just have terrible hair, as well?_ he thought as he looked between Kenma and the newcomer.

He was about to stammer out an apology when Kenma spoke, “It’s alright Kuro. Let’s go.”

The man stared at Hinata for another few moments as Kenma walked away. The fake-blonde then turned around and gave a small wave, “Goodbye Shouyou.”

Hinata finished his staring contest with Mr. Rooster Head(which he was winning by the way), and waved excitedly to Kenma. The two departed, and Hinata was reminded with why he had come to the back wall in the first place. He looked down at his phone and saw a multitude of notifications from Suga.

With the help of Suga’s directions, Hinata finally found the group near the front of the stage.

“Hinata-kun!” Suga yelled cheerily as he wrapped the smaller boy into a suffocating hug. Hinata deduced that Suga was _a lot_ stronger than he looked and reminded himself never to get on his bad side. “I’m so glad you’re here!” Suga promptly started rambling about his ride to the concert, and how apparently Daichi had nearly ran over an old woman trying to cross the street and thus had a mental breakdown. But Hinata wasn’t really paying attention as his gaze wandered to the man at the edge of the group. Kageyama was glaring intensely at the back of an unsuspecting audience member’s head as his jaw flexed from gritting his teeth. If this were a cartoon, there would have been a gray storm cloud hovering over Kageyama wherever he went.

Kageyama hadn’t looked at him yet, and if it weren’t for the tense-set of his stature, Hinata would have thought the man hadn’t even noticed him.

Hinata decided to look away from the angry blueberry to glance at the other bandmates, and he was surprised to see an unfamiliar face in their circle. The tall boy had a bright smile as he animately talked with Mr. Grumpy Glasses. It was an interesting sight to see, as Hinata had thought the stoic bassist would feel overwhelmed by someone with such a bright aura.

The man noticed Hinata’s staring and awkwardly chuckled as he gave a shy wave. Hinata waved back enthusiastically.

Suga noticed this exchange and prompted introductions. “Ah, Hinata-kun, this is Yamaguchi-kun. Yamaguchi-kun, Hinata-kun,” he said with waves of his hand between the two.

“Hello Hinata, it’s very nice to meet you,”Yamaguchi said sweetly with a timid smile. “I’m Tsukki’s childhood friend.”

“Uwahh!” Hinata said with surprise. “That’s so cool!” He honestly couldn’t tell how these two people could have been friends for so long, especially with their seemingly contracting personalities. “I can’t believe you’ve known Tsukki for so long!”

Tsukki glared at him irritatedly. “Don’t call me that,” he demanded shortly.

Yamaguchi gave a little chuckle as Hinata exclaimed in confusion. “Hah?? But he just called you that!” That was his name, right?

“Tsukishima. Just call me Tsukishima,” he muttered as he crossed his arms over his chest and looked forward. Yamaguchi beamed at Tsukishima, and Hinata could have sworn that the brown-haired man’s little flyaway straightened up with his mood

“Alright, man,” Hinata conceded. “Sorry, Tsukishima it is. I’m gonna be honest with you, I just couldn’t remember the other half of your name.”

The honesty of the statement caused Tsukishima to give him an annoyed glare and Yamaguchi to laugh hysterically. His laugh was nice, like twinkling Christmas bells, and the sound seemed to have an effect on Tsukishima as well as his face fell back into neutrality. Hinata figured the conversation was over, as Tsukishima faced his body toward Yamaguchi and the latter man went back into his passionate storytelling.

“They’re adorable, aren’t they?” Suga asked lowly into Hinata’s ear. Hinata looked at the man and cocked his head to the side. He glanced back to the two boys. _I wouldn’t describe Tsukishima as adorable,_ he thought to himself as he stared back at Suga in confusion. The man just laughed and dismissed the comment with a wave of his hand. “Anyway, I’m truly glad you decided to come Hinata-kun. This is gonna be a great show, for sure. Have you ever heard of The Currents?”

Hinata shook his head and Suga laughed.

“For someone so in love with music, you’re not very versed in the local scene,” Suga commented with mirthful eyes. Hinata felt a blush creep up his neck. It wasn’t his fault he didn’t know a lot about the local bands in Tokyo, he often liked to listen to foreign music. He told Suga this and the taller man nodded in understanding. “Well, they’re a pretty popular band in Tokyo, as they always do well in the Tokyo Spring Competition, and even won a couple of years back. This is one of their smaller shows.”

Hinata looked around in surprise. _This_ was a small show for them? He now was very excited to see what this band could do. Then, he actually thought about the words Suga had spoken to him. “The Tokyo Spring Competition?” he questioned.

“Yep!” Suga replied cheerily. “It’s an annual band competition held right here in Tokyo. It’s well accredited, as the winners get to work with industry professionals and often get signed to record deals. Bands usually get a lot of recognition just from competing, so it’s a pretty important event.” Suga looked over to his fellow bandmates and tossed a small smile to Hinata. “We tried to compete last year, but we were still very new so we never even made it past the preliminaries.”

Then, before Hinata could respond, the room dimmed, and the stage lights came on all at once.

“Good evening everyone!” a gruff voice screamed into the microphone. For the second night in a row, Hinata was completely taken aback by the people up on the stage. Standing there, in the position of the lead singer, was the antisocial gamer Hinata had met just ten minutes ago. And to the right, speaking excitedly to the riled up crowd, was Mr. Rooster Head. Hinata felt his jaw go slack at the realization. He was so enamored by this epiphany that he hadn’t even noticed that they had started playing. 

**Devil Town - Cavetown** ( _Italics_ \- Kenma)

_Life's alright in devil town_

_Yeah, right, no one's gonna catch us now_

_Dad has bought a new car now_

_We're fine, no one's gonna catch us now_

Kenma’s quaint voice abruptly filled the room as Mr. Rooster strummed lightly on a bright red electric guitar. Hinata decided that he really liked the tone of Kenma’s voice as it lulled over the venue. After the first verse, the drums and bass joined in for a short instrumental with Mr. Rooster picking out a melody. The guitarist nodded his head along to the beat eagerly while sporting a toothy grin, making his hair flop repeatedly over his eye.

_You said something dumb again_

_She's mad, at least that's what they say_

_Mum and daddy aren't in love_

_That's fine, I'll settle for two birthdays_

Hinata watched Kenma as he sang up on stage. He never would have guessed the timid boy would have the guts to be a part of a band, let alone being the lead singer, but Hinata had to admit that he was really good. He had a mysterious aura to him, something almost akin to Kageyama when he performed, and it filled him with excitement.

_Devil town is colder in the summertime_

_I'll lose my mind at least another thousand times_

_Hold my hand tight, we'll make it another night_

_I still get a little scared of something new_

_But I feel a little safer when I'm with you_

_Falling doesn't feel so bad when I know you've fallen this way too_

During the chorus, the energy of the band seemed to pick up. Hinata let his eyes wander to the other two band members. The bassist was a tall, lean man with short black hair that curled at the ends. His face was stoic, but he nodded his head to the beat as he plucked at his bass. When he turned his attention to the drummer, he felt like he was going through Deja-Vu as his eyes were met with yet another crazy hairstyle. His hair was oddly colored with streaks of black and white and styled into two high peaks that reminded Hinata of a horned owl. Mr. Owl grinned widely as he beat down on the drums.

_We're all dead in devil town_

_That's fine, 'cause nothing's gonna scare us now_

_We're all in our dressing gowns, mine's white_

_And stripey, yours is green and brown_

As Kenma continued singing the next verse, Mr. Rooster stopped, leaving just the bass and drums to back up the mellow voice. The tall guitarist placed his pick between his teeth and ran a hand through his hair. He smiled, gaze lingering on his lead singer. He then replaced his pick and continued playing.

_I forgot my name again_

_I think that's something worth remembering_

_Spiders in your favorite shoes_

_Just leave them be 'cause they're more scared of you_

Kenma began swaying his head side to side with the music, letting his long bangs caress his face.

_Devil town is colder in the summertime_

_I'll lose my mind at least another thousand times_

_Hold my hand tight, we'll make it another night_

He began singing with more force as holding his mic with both hands and bobbing his head up and down. Once again, it was just the drummer and bassist backing up Kenma’s vocals, until a loud scratch came from the guitar.

_I still get a little scared of something new_

_But I feel a little safer when I'm with you_

_Falling doesn't feel so bad when I know you've fallen this way too_

The guitarist began strumming to match Kenma’s voice and then transitioned into an instrumental. Hinata stared in awe as the man with the poorly-styled hair went through an impressive guitar solo. He lolled his head back and pressed his hips forward as he continued playing with a look of satisfaction on his face. He snapped back forward as Kenma’s voice came back in.

_Devil town is colder in the summertime_

_I'll lose my mind at least another thousand times_

_Hold my hand tight, we'll make it another night_

_I still get a little scared of something new_

_But I feel a little safer when I'm with you_

_Falling doesn't feel so bad when I know you've fallen this way too_

As the song faded out, they transitioned directly into the next one. However, once Kenma had finished his second song, he walked away from the mic stand toward the guitarist. Hinata was confused to see Mr. Rooster shouldering off his guitar strap. A wide grin adorned his face as Kenma stepped up to him. The taller man handed Kenma the guitar, and placed a giant hand on the smaller boy’s head as he walked past to the middle of the stage. Hinata realized they were switching spots. It was pretty common for musicians to be skillful with many different instruments, but he hadn’t expected them to completely change their roles within the band.

The guitarist, now singer, ripped the microphone from its stand as he shouted into it, “Alright everyone! Let’s get this party started!”

That exclamation was met with shrill screams from girls in the audience, and Hinata guessed the man had a large following. There was a shout of “One, two, three, four” from the drummer and a smooth bass line promptly followed.

**WasteUrTime - Kevin Walkman** ( **Bold** \- Kuroo, _Italics_ \- Kenma)

**Give me a glass of your innocence**

**You're moving fast, and I'm into it**

**This is my creation, here's your invitation**

**I know it's your first time but it won't be your last**

Mr. Rooster stalked over to the front of the stage, microphone clutched in his right hand. He leaned forward as he sang with a wide smirk adorned on his face, looking across the crowd with something akin to hunger in his eyes. 

**Long walks of shame look so good on you**

**Clothes a bit stained, but you'll love the view**

**You seem so damn nervous, how can I be of service, heard this**

**_I know you're still fuckin' with me_ **

The tall man crouched down at the side of the stage opposite to them in front of a group of girls. He sang to them and let them reach up to him as he started the chorus. _No wonder he has so may fans_ , Hinata thought, _he’s a performer._

**Maybe I could waste your _time_**

**Is it something that you'd _mind_?**

**It's three thirty in the morning, your day's been so boring**

**Spice shit up let me inside**

He finally stood back up, sending a wink to the girls as he sang “inside.” He received screams of approval in response and walked back to where the mic stand was.

**Maybe I could waste your _time_**

**Is it something that you'd _mind_?**

**It's three thirty in the morning, your day's been so boring**

**Spice shit up let me _inside_**

Mr. Rooster replaced his mic, and began singing with even more passion. He ran his hands up and down the stand as he moved his body sensually. Even Hinata was starting to get entranced. The guy was smooth, no doubt.

**'Cause I'll take care of you**

**Let me give you feelings no one else can do**

**Send you my location lets try something new**

**For a few, through and through**

**Oh baby this ain't love**

**Keeping shit a secret fits you like a glove**

**I'm so hype to see you it's all I think of**

**When I'm up above, give you a shove oh**

As he continued singing more of the song, he kept his eyes rolling over the crowd. He’d stop occasionally to sing a line or two to a particularly lucky audience member. After sending someone a wink in the crowd, Hinata thought he heard someone faint.

**I get that you would need your space**

**Your love's a fuckin' basket case**

**So hit me up when you feel down**

**I'll make your ass stay 'til sundown**

As the pace of singing switched slightly for the bridge, Hinata finally let himself look away from the show that was being put on by the singer. He glanced over the other band members to see them all lost in the performance just as much as himself. Even Kenma looked to be enjoying it as he strummed on the guitar with a relaxed expression.

**I understand what you've been through**

**'Cause I'm a sorry sucker too**

**I know you're scared and that's alright just**

**Let me love you for the _night_**

Mr. Rooster gradually picked up in energy. And then, Kenma was joining him and let his yell of the lyrics extend over as the taller man began singing the chorus again.

**Maybe I could waste your _time_**

**Is it something that you'd _mind_?**

**It's three thirty in the morning, your day's been so boring**

**Spice shit up let me inside**

**Maybe I could waste your _time_**

**Is it something that you'd _mind_?**

**It's three thirty in the morning, your day's been so boring**

**Spice shit up let me inside**

Once he had finished singing, the crowd went wild with high pitched screams echoing around him. Hinata couldn’t help himself as he joined in on the shouts. They were so impressive, and he couldn’t wait to show them his own talent.

* * *

Deafening cheers erupted from the crowd as Kuroo signed off for the band. Kageyama peered at Hinata out of the corner of his eye. He’d been sneaking glances throughout the show, and he could tell by the look of admiration that never left the shorter boy’s face that he had really liked the band. He watched Hinata as he clapped and cheered for the departing band. He wasn’t sure why, but it pissed him off. He decided that it was probably because of how loud the overexcitable tangerine was being.

Hinata whirled around to ask Suga a question and somehow perked up even more from the answer he received. Kageyama felt his eyebrows crease as his scowl deepened. _Why am I so irritated?_

Before he could dwell on that thought any longer, Suga clapped his hands together twice. “Alright, children! Let’s get a move on and go greet the band,” he said to them as he began ushering the group toward a door that would lead backstage.

Hinata was practically buzzing. Kageyama could feel the excitement rolling off of him as they walked shoulder to shoulder. He doesn’t even know how they ended up next to each other.

_Why is he so eager to meet them?_ Kageyama asked himself. Then, he stiffened as another thought passed through his mind. He looked down at Hinata. _Don’t tell me he has the hots for Kuroo._ Kageyama quickly looked away as he felt heat crawl up his chest. He didn’t understand why he was acting like a middle school girl who had just found out their friend’s crush. It’s not like it was uncommon for Kuroo to be admired by outsiders, as they didn’t know how painstakingly awkward the man actually was, but Kageyama had never even considered that Hinata could be–

His train of thought was cut off by a shrill shout from the boy at his left.

“Kenma!!”

_Kenma?_ Kageyama questioned in his head just as Suga spoke it out loud. _How the hell does he know Kenma?_ Kageyama watched in utter confusion as Hinata ran right up to the other boy. 

And even more surprising, the reserved boy greeted him with a small, “Hello, Shouyou.” 

_Shouyou?? They were even on a first name basis?_ Kageyama thought as his gaze flicked between the two. Hinata began talking enthusiastically with way too many hand movements and “uwahs!” than was necessary. He was glad to see that Daichi and Suga were also surprised by the occurrence, and he heaved a sigh of relief that he wasn’t the only one left out on this knowledge.

“Hinata, you know Kenma?” Daichi asked. 

The boy in question nodded ardently. “Yeah! I met him just before the show!” They all looked between each other, as that explanation really didn’t _explain_ anything.

“Ah, Chibi-chan!” Kuroo called out. He placed a hand on Hinata’s head as he continued talking to him. “I hadn’t realized you were with them,” Kuroo said, giving a glance to Suga and Daichi. “I apologize for the earlier hostility,” he offered with a pleasant smile and brought his other hand up over his heart. Again, the others were given no further insight on the very odd conversation that was happening. Hinata perked up and Kageyama swore he could see stars in his eyes as he looked at the taller man. He was vehemently reminded of his thoughts from earlier.

“Well,” Suga began with a bright smile, breaking through Kageyama’s growing annoyance with his soothing voice, “we just wanted to congratulate you all for a very successful show.” 

“Thank you, Suga-san,” a cool voice replied. Kageyama looked over to The Currents’ bassist, Akaashi Keiji. Kageyama had always admired the man for his calm personality and great skill.

“Yeah! Thanks Suga!!” a much more excitable voice repeated. Bokuto Koutarou, their drummer. Kageyama had never understood how the two had ever started dating, as he could relate to Akaashi’s personality, and he himself got tired out from just listening to Bokuto speak. But Akaashi was always much more patient than he, and it was another admirable trait. As for the exuberant drummer, he was friendly (maybe even to a fault) and also very skilled.

“Of course, Akaashi, Bokuto. We were thrilled when you invited us,” Daichi told them for Suga. Kageyama was used to the couple’s weird telepathy that allowed them to finish thoughts for each other. He just didn’t understand how two people could be so in-tune with each other. 

He started listening to the conversation between Hinata and Kenma just as he complimented the bottle-blonde on his “absolutely incredibly awesome” singing.

“Oh! And it’s so cool that you guys take turns singing!” Hinata said to the band members.

“Ah, yeah, well little Kenma here gets tired really easily,” Kuroo responded. The tall man placed a hand on Kenma’s head, who had just pulled out his infamous Gameboy. “So, we take turns singing to give him a break once in a while.”

Kenma gave a small smile to Hinata as they continued talking, even looking up to Hinata from his game a couple of times. Kageyama couldn’t understand how Hinata could have possibly befriended the recluse. He’d known Kenma for over a year now and he couldn’t remember a single time Kenma ever spoke to him. Kageyama thought for the thousandth time that night that Hinata was infuriating.

And that was when the universe decided to further test him.

“Ah! Look, it’s Tobio-chan!”

Kageyama stiffened as he heard the sickly sweet voice. He prayed to every God he could think of that it was a random fan, even though he’d recognize that voice anywhere. He slowly turned, and there, standing in all his glory, was none other than Oikawa Tooru. 

* * *

“Ugh, thank the aliens up above that’s over.”

“You’re a shitty person,” a gruff voice to his right responded.

“Iwa-chan! So mean!” Oikawa huffed as he crossed his arms over his chest. “I’m allowed to have my own music taste,” he continued. “And I just don’t like the kind of music they play.”

Iwaizumi looked over at him with a scowl. “Yeah, but they’re not playing music specifically for you, Shittykawa.”

Oikawa just sighed. He knew that, of course he knew that. He just had a tendency of complaining. “Iwa-chan, you’re always so grumpy.”

“And you’re always so annoying.” Oikawa knew this was just how they talked to each other. They always joked around like this. But recently… he hadn’t been so sure that Iwa was just joking anymore.

Oikawa gave a chuckle that he knew Iwaizumi would see right through. It’s not his fault he hated showing his true emotions. It usually worked, but Iwaizumi had just known Oikawa for too long. He always saw right through it. “Hm, I guess we better go find the band of honor,” Oikawa said as he moved past Iwaizumi toward the stage.

Iwaizumi stayed where he was, leaning on the back wall of the venue, watching Oikawa carefully. Finally, after a few short moments, he pushed off the wall and came into stride with him.

They walked through the dissipating crowd in silence. It’s not like Iwaizumi was much of a talker, but it seemed recently that the shorter man had been growing distant. Maybe it was time for that though. While Oikawa didn’t like the idea, he knew that it would come sooner or later. They had been attached at the hip since they were babies. He knew he couldn’t keep Iwaizumi forever. 

Iwaizumi held open the door for him, and of course, he couldn’t _not_ say something. “Aw, Iwa-chan, such a gentleman,” he said with a syrupy voice. Iwaizumi just clicked his tongue in exasperation.

They turned down a hall and were abruptly met with a crowd of people. Oikawa’s eyes narrowed. _Of course he was here._

“Ah! Look, it’s Tobio-chan!” Oikawa called out. He knew he was using his fake voice, but only Iwaizumi and Tobio would be able to identify it, so it was fine. As the two walked up to the group, he put on a smile that was meant to look friendly, but he knew his eyes gave away the intense annoyance that was clawing up his skin. 

“Oikawa-san,” Kageyama greeted shortly.

_Tch._ Oikawa tried to keep the smile on his face as he felt a vein pop on his forehead. _Little brat._

Oikawa was about to say something when orange flashed in front of his eyes. He turned his gaze to the short boy standing next to Kageyama. How was this kid so happy? His eyes were too wide, smile to bright, face too accepting. Too innocent. It was as if nothing bad in the world had ever touched him.

“Well, who’s this little shrimp?” he asked Tobio. He was aware he was being an ass, but someone had to make this kid realize the world wasn’t made of flowers and rainbows sooner or later. Oikawa chose sooner. Tobio didn’t answer, he just looked to the side with a clenched jaw. Oikawa turned to a different bandmate. “A new member, Suga-chan?” 

Suga glanced in Tobio’s direction, and Oikawa resisted the urge to cock his head to the side as he tried to decipher the look. “Well,” he began slowly, stealing a look at Daichi before continuing, “it’s still up in the air, but… Hinata may be joining as our second vocalist.”

He noticed Tobio’s shoulders tense in his peripherals. _Ah, that’s it_ , he thought as it finally clicked. “Oooooh, a second vocalist you say,” Oikawa cooed as he let his gaze slither to the orange-haired boy. He let his head tilt slightly, feigning the look of an innocent puppy. “Tobio-chan doesn’t do well with others in his spotlight,” he told Hinata cooly. Oikawa should have stayed out of their business, sure, but Tobio had made it his business from the moment they met all those years ago.

Suddenly, pain shot through the back of his head. “Iwa-chan!” he yelled to the man that had just punched him in the head. “Why’d you do that?” he whined. He knew why. He was being a stupid ass. 

“Because you’re being shitty, Shittykawa.” He gave Oikawa an intense glare, and he realized it was serious. For once, Oikawa regretted playing devil’s advocate. “I’m sorry for this asshat,” Iwaizumi said to the group. His eyes lingered on Tobio, before he said, “It was nice seeing you, Kageyama.” Tobio just stared at the man. Iwaizumi turned to the rest of the group and gave them a curt nod of goodbye. 

Iwaizumi latched onto Oikawa’s sweater sleeve before he could say anything and pulled him down the hallway. He was mad. Oikawa knew he was mad. He could practically feel the intense energy radiating off of Iwaizumi’s broad shoulders. It wasn’t his fault. He couldn’t help his personality. He couldn’t help his need to bring everyone down to his level.

“Iwa-chan,” he called out softly as they stepped out of the venue and into the brisk air. “You’re hurting me.” Iwaizumi immediately let go of his arm. He wasn’t looking at him. Why wasn’t he looking at him? “Um,” he started nervously. He didn’t know what to say around him anymore. He didn’t know what was going on with them. “Did you maybe wanna get some ramen? I think I saw a place on the way here,” he offered lightly as he began picking at the loose threads of his sweater sleeve.

Iwaizumi still wasn’t looking at him. Oikawa could see the white puff of his breath as he sighed. He finally looked at Oikawa, but the taller man couldn’t read the expression on his face. They stared at each other for a moment, before Iwaizumi looked away again.

“Uh, sorry Oikawa, I can’t.” Iwaizumi paused. “I told that girl from last week I’d go see her.”

_Oh._ Oikawa let his eyes fall. He stared at his black sneakers as he tried not to think too much. He knew he was taking too long to respond, and the air around them was slowly growing thick with awkwardness. Oikawa took in a long breath.

He put on a smile that caused his eyes to close. “Well, alright, Iwa-chan. I wouldn’t have kept you so long if you had just told me earlier,” he tried to play it off. He didn’t want to open his eyes. But as Iwaizumi didn’t answer, he peeled his eyelids open. Of course green eyes were boring into him. Iwaizumi knew he was hiding something. But that didn’t concern Iwaizumi, at least not anymore. “Have fun on your date, I’ll see you at practice tomorrow,” he said with a small wave. He turned around and started walking without giving Iwaizumi a chance to respond. His breathe was picking up and he knew what was coming, so he increased his pace.

When Oikawa got back to his studio apartment, his eyes were wide. He wouldn’t let himself cry. There was no reason to cry. So, instead, he grabbed out a thick stack of music sheets and his favorite fountain pen and got to work.

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> I just absolutely love the idea that Kuroo's fans think he's a sex god but he's actually the awkward guy that we all know and love.  
> We've got some angst starting to show it's face up in here (don't worry, there will be a lot of fluff to combat it)
> 
> Anyway, I made a tumblr under the same name as this account if anyone still uses that (?) idk but it's there. Go check it out if ya like, ask some questions give some comments whatever ya like.
> 
> See ya'll next week!


	4. Begin Again

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> Thank you all for such nice comments!! I really wasn’t expecting anyone to enjoy reading this or even read it at all lol so it’s really spurring me on to write more! I just got my wisdoms removed lmfao and it hurts like a bih so I’ll read over this again later to check for mistakes, but hope you enjoy this new chapter!

Hinata sifted through the many sheets of paper that cluttered the table. His hands flitted over the pages as he looked for that _one_ particular paper that had the melody for his song. He remembered packing it in his bag this morning before coming to The Little Crow, so it had to be in here some–

“Aha!” Hinata exclaimed as his eyes fell onto the music sheet. He plucked it from the pile before turning his gaze to the rest of the room. A few other patrons around him gave a glance at his outburst, and Hinata gave them a small nod in apology. The café was quite busy, college students and working adults alike idling around with drinks and pastries. Hinata found years ago that he enjoyed doing his work at The Little Crow as the low bustle of the shop helped him focus. Plus, Ukai always gave him a discount! Speaking of discount, Hinata realized, he was out of hot chocolate. 

He settled his sheet music gently on top of the haphazard mess of other sheets and stood from his small corner booth. He always sat in the same booth, somehow lucky enough that it was always vacant whenever he was there. The booth was tucked into the back corner against the windows, and he liked to people-watch or just look at things outside. It was a coping mechanism he learned to help with his nerves. It was nice to see that the world still continued to move even when he felt his had screeched to a sudden halt.

Today, gray clouds covered all of Tokyo and never-ending rain fell from the gloomy sky. Hinata had made the dumb mistake this morning of leaving his dorm with his hoodie tucked away in the bottom of his backpack and, thus, had gotten thoroughly drenched on his way to the café. He was shivering and soaked to the bone by the time he got there, and only then put on his hoodie. Now, bundled in his oversized jacket with his hood up, Hinata bounded over to the counter.

“Hey, Ukai-san! Would you mind whippin’ up another cocoa for me?” Hinata asked, leaning on the front counter and peering up at the man with a cheeky smile.

Ukai gave Hinata a bemused look as he passed a mug over the counter to another customer. He put his hands on his hips with a heavy sigh,“You’re gonna run me outta business with all the free hot cocoa I give ya.”

“But I also bring you business!” Hinata exclaimed in response. He smiled as they went through a familiar conversation about Hinata’s abuse of his “discount”, which Ukai regretted offering the boy nearly everyday. Hinata faintly heard the bell of the front door ring.

“Yeah, yeah, whatever,” the man muttered as he went on with making Hinata’s drink.

Hinata smiled and thanked him enthusiastically, continuing to lean on the counter as he watched the process of his drink being made. Nimble, trained hands worked the giant machine, and a loud shriek filled the air as Ukai held down a lever. Steam emanated from the machine, and Hinata could feel the hot air brush against his face. Watching people do things that they’re good at had always been something Hinata found interesting. _Is that how people see me when I play piano?_ Ukai’s hand expertly lowered and raised the cup as the machine mixed the cocoa. Hinata watched as whipped cream was swirled into a perfect mountaintop on his cup when he heard someone clear their throat behind them.

Hinata jumped in surprise. “Oh!” he exclaimed as he spun around, “Sorry!” Hinata was about to move away when he noticed something. _Blue eyes._ Then he looked at the rest of the person’s face and saw a familiar scowl. “Kageyama?”

The man in question appeared to be just as surprised as Hinata with the situation, his face slack and eyes wide. Kageyama shook his head slightly and his face hardened into its usual expression. “Hinata. Sorry, I didn’t recognize you,” the taller man said as he glanced at the bit of wet, orange hair that barely peaked out from beneath Hinata’s hood.

Hinata didn’t know exactly what Kageyama was apologizing for. _Maybe for acknowledging me at all,_ Hinata thought. Kageyama probably wasn’t thrilled to see him again a mere two days since the last time they were together. He gave an internal shrug. “What are you doing here?”

Kageyama looked to the side, slightly fidgeting. Hinata watched as the man’s eyebrows scrunched together in thought before he answered, “Suga said this place has really good milk tea.” Hinata wanted to laugh. Suga definitely knew what he was doing in recommending this place to Kageyama, knowing just how much of his time Hinata spent here. The angel-like man really did have a mischievous side, probably trying to force Kageyama and Hinata to have quality “bonding” time.

“Oh, well yeah! This place is great, I’d say everything on the menu is good,” Hinata offered.

“Oi! Only good?” a voice asked from behind him. Hinata looked over his shoulder to see Ukai holding his hot cocoa. The man was wearing one of his sarcastically mad looks, and Hinata just smiled. The heat in Ukai’s glare subsided with the years Hinata had known the man.

“Everything here is _amazing,_ Ukai-san. That better?”

Ukai clicked his tongue. “You should be more grateful, you brat, with all the free shit I give you,” he growled out.

Hinata chuckled lightly. “Thanks, Ukai-san! You’re always the best,” he cheered as he took the steaming cup of cocoa. Hinata then remembered that they had an audience and looked over at Kageyama to see the man awkwardly staring between the two of them. Hinata turned to Ukai again, throwing a thumb over his shoulder. “Could you make a milk tea for this guy?”

Ukai finally looked at Kageyama. “Friend of yours?” he asked Hinata with a slight raise of his eyebrow, still not taking his eyes off of the stranger.

Hinata nodded slightly. He wasn’t actually sure of the answer to that question himself. “You could say that,” he chose to say with a small raise of his shoulder in response. Hinata willed himself not to look at the Kageyama’s face, no matter how curious he was of the reaction to his statement.

“What flavor ya want?” Ukai asked, and Hinata could see Kageyama’s frame jump slightly in his peripherals. He licked at the whipped cream of his hot chocolate to keep himself from laughing. He’s never seen the usually confident and stoic Kageyama this fidgety before.

“Uh, jasmine?”

Ukai nodded at Kageyama’s request and went on to make the drink. To his side, Kageyama’s shoulders slouched slightly as he let out a sigh of relief. Hinata then remembered how scary Ukai had looked when he had first met the guy.

He laughed at the prospect and turned to Kageyama. “Wanna sit with me?” He asked without a second thought, pointing to his small booth in the corner. As Kageyama stared in the direction of Hinata’s finger, the taller boy contemplated the offer for much longer than Hinata had thought possible. Hinata suddenly felt awkward as he reminded himself that this guy might actually _hate_ _him_. Hinata was about to rebuke his suggestion when Kageyama gave a stiff nod.

He felt a little spark of triumph in his chest, as he walked over to the booth. The black-haired boy followed slowly behind, watching Hinata wearily as if the smaller boy was about to turn around and murder Kageyama any second. Hinata sat down on his side of the booth, shoving his many papers against the window with a forearm to make room on the table for them. He noticed blue eyes scrutinizing his sheet music.

“Sorry for the mess, I was doing some work,” he gave as he brought his cup to his lips. The cocoa was scalding, but Hinata enjoyed the slight fuzzy feeling it left on his tongue. He licked at the small cream mustache left on his lip, taking a glance at the taller boy. The air turned slightly awkward between them as Kageyama continued to stare at the papers for a few moments longer.

“What are you working on?” he finally asked, surprising Hinata slightly. He hadn’t expected Kageyama to be interested in anything that had to do with him, and the sudden curiosity seemed to irk Kageyama, funnily enough. It was as if the other man’s own emotions were what irritated him the most.

Hinata took another small sip of his cocoa, letting the sweetness sit in his mouth before explaining. “I’ve got a project due for my music composition class next week. I’m usually good at making and performing my own music, but the professor wants me to explore other instruments and actually provide our sheet music along with the song so I’ve kinda been struggling.” Hinata sheepishly brought a hand to rub against his neck underneath his hoodie. It was kind of embarrassing admitting his weakness to the “enemy”, but this project had been bothering him for weeks and this was the first time someone had asked him about it.

Much to his luck, Kageyama didn’t seem to notice the admittance. Instead asking, “Oh, you’re taking music classes?”

Before Hinata could answer, a drink was placed on the table between the boys. Hinata looked up to see a man with black hair and glasses.

“Ah, Takeda-san!” he exclaimed in greeting.

The small man gave a small smile, bringing his hands to clasp behind his back. “Hinata-kun, it’s great to see you as always.” Takeda then noticed the man sitting across from Hinata. “Oh, I’m sorry, how rude of me. I’m Takeda Ittetsu,” he said to Kageyama with a small bow.

Kageyama bowed his head in return, offering “Kageyama Tobio.”

Takeda smiled again. “It’s very nice to meet you Kageyama-san. I’m glad to see Hinata finally bringing his friends around,” the man said as he turned his gaze to Hinata. “I was wondering why you were ordering a jasmine milk tea, but this makes much more sense.” Hinata peaked a glance at Kageyama, hoping he hadn’t minded– or hopefully didn’t _hear_ at all– what Takeda had said. Before he could decipher the small glance that Kageyama also sent his way, Takeda spoke again. “Well, Hinata-kun I hope to see you again soon, enjoy your drinks,” Takeda offered with a bow before taking his leave.

Once again, the boys were left in suffocating silence. Hinata could not think of a time he had ever felt this awkward. Usually he was great at making idle conversation, but he felt like he was constantly side-stepping landmines whenever he was with Kageyama.

“So, uh,” Kageyama said, clearing his throat, “you seem to be pretty familiar with everyone here.”

Hinata finally relaxed with the introduction of a conversation. He bit down on his lip slightly, trying to hold in laughter once again after realizing Kageyama’s words loosely translated to, “You come here often?” The taller man probably didn’t even realize it, which made it even funnier.

“Yeah, I’ve been playing music here every Friday since I was in high school,” Hinata offered with a large smile. He then remembered that before Takeda had shown up, Kageyama had asked another question. “Oh! And yeah, I’m a Music and Business double major at the University of Tokyo.”

Blue eyes widened. “You’re kidding,” Kageyama responded incredulously. Hinata cocked his head slightly to the side, confused at the sudden statement. _Does Kageyama not think I’m good enough to be studying music in college? Maybe he didn’t think I was old enough to be in college yet?_ Before he could bite back at the boy that he was, _in fact_ , really good at his major and older than he looked, Kageyama continued. “ _I’m_ a music major at the University of Tokyo. How the _hell_ have I never seen you around campus before?”

Hinata felt his face mirror the look that was currently etched on Kageyama’s. “Ehh?? We go to the same school? _And_ have the same major?” Sure, the university was big, but it wasn’t _that_ big. And the music program wasn’t that large either, so he found it hard to believe he’d never crossed paths with Kageyama before. Hinata continued to stare at the boy’s face. He squinted his eyes, studying his features. And then, all at once, it hit him. “ _Wait_! We had a class together! First semester of freshman year!” Hinata exclaimed in the small shop. He didn’t care about the annoyed stares he received for the second time that morning, as he focused on the man sat in front of him. _How had I not recognized him before?_ , he asked himself as the memories came flooding in.

It was his first semester of college and his first ever music class. The class was a large introductory course to music composition. Since a lot of the students taking the class were just there for elective credit, the professor never required them to provide sheet music for their compositions. Hinata was thrilled, being able to write and perform his own songs in a somewhat professional manner, or at least in a more structured way than he ever had before.

About a month into the class, the students had to perform their first song. Most people, including Hinata, decided to record their finished products beforehand instead of performing their songs live. It wasn’t like Hinata was against live performances, he was used to it having played at The Little Crow so many times, but even so, he thought it was easier to bring a recording to class rather than going through a bout of nervousness every time he thought too hard about playing. With that first project, Hinata remembered being taken aback by a particular song. It was an instrumental that Hinata had thought was perfect in terms of technicality. The use of multiple instruments, ranging from drums and bass to guitars and a melody of violins, created a cacophony of sound that should not have worked together, and yet they harmonized in such a way Hinata had never heard before. The guy who had composed it, a broody black-haired boy, had supposedly recorded all of the parts himself. Hinata had been astounded by the sheer amount of instruments the man could play and his ability to synthesize all of their different sounds to be enjoyable. Hinata had never been that good at the technicality of music, just creating sounds with his piano that melded well with his voice and the emotions he wanted to portray. He was jealous of the guy’s natural talent and would often think about writing lyrics to the complex instrumentals produced by the man, bringing the songs just that one step farther. And, now, seated in front of him was the broody black-haired boy he strived to beat since the day he heard his music.

“We took that Intro to Composition class together! I remember now! Your music was all like ‘bwahhhh’ and ‘wooooo’,” he told the man with soaring hand movements to aid his explanation. He brought a finger up to point at his chest. “Don’t you remember me?”

Kageyama stared at him for a moment. Hinata couldn’t decipher the stoic look on his face and blue eyes bored into his own brown ones. Finally, Kageyama gave a one-shouldered shrug as he responded, “Hm, not really. I think I remember some guy with eccentrically bright orange hair, so that must have been you.”

Hinata’s shoulders slunk as a pout tugged at his lips. _I guess I wasn’t that noticeable after all,_ he thought. But then again, all he had to do now was get even better so that he _would_ be recognized by his playing and not his appearance. Hinata’s back straightened as a new rush of determination flooded through him. He would make Kageyama see him as an equal. He was going to do it no matter what.

He looked directly into Kageyama’s eyes. “Just you watch,” he said, feeling a grin grace his face, “you won’t be able to forget me that easily.” There was a tone of finality in his voice, and it seemingly made Kageyama realize his seriousness as the dark-haired boy gave a firm nod.

The two of them went back into leisurely conversation, talking about other classes that they’ve taken so far for their programs. Once on the topic of their current classes, Kageyama let it slip that he, too, was struggling with one of his music assignments at the moment. Hinata perked up, seeing an opportunity where he could put himself on the same playing field as the prodigy. 

“What’s the assignment?”

Kageyama gave Hinata a look that seemed suspicious, and Hinata realized that this boy probably also didn’t like to show signs of weakness. 

“Awww c’mon Kageyama,” Hinata whined. He really just wanted to know more about Kageyama and the way that he played. “You can’t be good at _everything,_ right? I mean, everyone struggles with something,” he said with a small shrug. He gave a low groan, remembering his own challenges with music. “I’ve been having such a hard time with my own project because I only know how to play piano _and_ I don’t even know how to read or write music,” Hinata found himself saying before he could stop himself in his rant. 

There was a long silence between the two of them as Kageyama stared at Hinata. _He likes to do that doesn’t he_ , Hinata questioned to himself, feeling slightly creeped out by _how much_ Kageyama liked to stare with long moments of silence.

“You don’t know how to read or write music?”

Hinata gave a sheepish nod as he focused his gaze on a small indentation on the table. He never really told people about his inability to read real sheet music, and he realized now, with the god of music himself staring into his soul, that it was an embarrassing thing to admit.

“Then what the hell is all this sheet music?” Kageyama asked, voice filled with annoyance.

Hinata’s face scrunched into a scowl. _Why was this guy getting annoyed at me, once again, for no reason?_ “It’s just some notation I made up in middle school. I use it to write my songs,” he answered defensively. Hinata could not seem to understand why Kageyama cared so much about the way Hinata wrote his songs. If anything, it was making Hinata feel even more anxious about his upcoming assignment. Was it really that bad to not know proper music notation?

“Are you kidding me? You use a _fake_ writing system for your music?” Kageyama asked haughtily. His eyebrows raised as he gave Hinata a look of disbelief. “You literally _made up_ an entire notation of your own instead of learning the real thing?”

Hinata could feel himself getting riled up. This guy was more of a pretentious prick than he had thought originally. “Well, I’m sorry, but not all of us were given the opportunity to learn it, _your highness._ ” 

Kageyama opened his mouth to retort, but it snapped shut at the last phrase. His face darkened as he bowed his head to shield his eyes with his bangs. Kageyama’s fists clenched on the table. He gritted out in a low growl, “Don’t call me that.” 

Hinata was all too suddenly reminded of Kageyama’s reaction just a few nights ago. Tsukishima had made a snarky comment after his audition, and at the time, Hinata hadn’t understood why Kageyama had acted that way. But seeing it again, now, he realized that it was the nickname ‘King’ that had ticked the guy off. 

“Ah, um, I’m sorry,” Hinata stuttered out, hand reaching out to touch Kageyama's shoulder, but stopping midway, hanging between them in the thick tension. He didn’t know what to do. He hadn’t known the implications of his very _very_ poor choice of words, but he knew he had to fix it before the man stormed away. “Look, I,” he dropped his hand with a heavy sigh, “My mom could never afford actual music lessons when I was growing up and there were no music classes or clubs at my school. So I had to learn everything on my own, so yes, I created my own way of writing music so that I could _finally_ create my own music.” He chanced a glance at Kageyama and took the now unclenched fists as a good sign. “It works for me, so I never saw the need for learning how to write proper sheet music,” Hinata let out another exasperated sigh as he carded his hand through his now dry hair, removing the hoodie from his head, “but now that’s obviously biting me in the ass.”

A low chuckle came from the man in front of him. Hinata realized he had never actually heard Kageyama laugh before. He had to admit the sound in itself was a little scary, sending a small shiver down his spine that he equated to his fight or flight responses. But he felt now was not the time to ridicule the man on how frightening he was without even trying.

Kageyama finally lifted his head, face relaxed– at least as relaxed as it could be– and propped his chin with one of his hands. “Well,” he said, letting out a small sigh as his eyes shifted to the side, “I have to write a song for class, as well, but the professor wants me to try something new.” Hinata noticed a small look of annoyance pass over his face. He took a deep breath before continuing, “They want me to write a song with lyrics. None of the songs I’ve composed so far have lyrics.”

Hinata felt his jaw slacken in surprise. “Really? But why? You’re literally the lead singer of a band, so you should be fine with singing your own songs, right?”

He clicked his tongue. “That’s not the problem,” Kageyama said, pinching the bridge of his nose. “I mean, I’ve _tried_ writing lyrics before, but they just – it always comes out cheesy and generic. They never match the complexity of the instrumental and it just brings down the song even more.”

“Really? I feel like writing the melody and lyrics is the easiest part of songwriting.”

Kageyama shot Hinata a small glare. “You’re insane if you think that. Composing the instrumental is obviously the easiest part.”

Hinata leaned back into the booth, crossing his arms over his chest. “Easy to say when you know how to play multiple instruments,” he retorted. Kageyama seemed to realize his mistake, and gave a small shrug before leaning back into his booth as well.

They stared at each other for a short moment, when Hinata got an idea. He leaned forward, forearms crossing onto the tabletop. He stared into blue eyes a fraction of a second longer before asking, “Why don’t we work together?” Before Kageyama could protest, he continued with his proposal. “Y’know, help each other out. You can help me, and I’ll help you write some lyrics.”

“I don’t need help from you,” Kageyama snapped out immediately, defiantly crossing his arms over his chest.

“Kageyama c’mon! You just said you don’t know how to write lyrics… I can teach you!”

“Oi! I know how to write lyrics, alright?” Kageyama bit back, glaring at him. “I’ve taken multiple music theory classes, I know _how_ to write lyrics.”

Hinata could remind Kageyama that he actually just admitted to not knowing how to write lyrics, but he wasn’t about to poke the bear. He held his hands up in defense. “Alright, alright, sure... but you just don’t know how to write the _right type_ of lyrics, then. I can show you how to better convey your emotions through your lyrics.”

Bemused eyes met his own bright ones. “My emotions?”

“Yeah! I bet your lyrics don’t seem that complex or significant because they really aren’t. That’s what makes music so powerful. It’s just another tool to share your emotions.” The way Hinata felt when he listened to music is what had made him fall in love with it. He always thought that the best music was the kind that told a story. 

Kageyama stared at him for a bit, eyebrows slightly raised as he contemplated. “Fine,” he said, sighing lightly. “We can work together.” Hinata’s face split into a bright grin as he felt excitement bubble up in his chest. This is what he had wanted from the beginning. Since the moment he heard Kageyama’s music, he knew that he wanted to add to it, take it that bit closer to completion. He was finally going to write those lyrics for one of Kageyama’s songs. “But,” Kageyama continued, “I am _not_ teaching you how to read music. You gotta learn that on your own if you want my help. I’m going to be showing you how to play instruments using _real_ sheet music.”

Hinata deflated. “Awwwwww Bakageyama, sooo laaame,” he dragged out in a whine.

He watched as Kageyama bristled. “Quit calling me that! You’re the idiot, dumbass Hinata! What musician doesn’t know how to read sheet music?”

“It’s not my fault I was never taught!” Hinata exclaimed back.

“You taught yourself how to play, just teach yourself how to read music, too!” Kageyama yelled as he leaned over the table. “Or do you not know how to read at all?”

“Shut up you blueberry!” Hinata shouted, leaning equally as close. “Of course I know how to read!”

Kageyama leaned in even further, closing the distance between them as their foreheads knocked into one another. “What did you just say you human tangerine?” he growled out, pushing his forehead against Hinata’s

They continued like this, arguing and yelling insults at each other in the small coffee shop during this late Tuesday morning as the sun began to peak through the dark sky.

* * *

“Oh, look!”

Tsukishima looked over to where Yamaguchi was pointing. The shorter boy was excitedly gesturing toward a small café sandwiched between towering buildings. He was a little surprised Yamaguchi had even noticed the unsuspecting shop, with its not-so-flashy appearance.

They were walking back to their dorm from the local grocery store when he noticed Yamaguchi was shivering slightly. He chastised the boy for not wearing a better jacket before suggesting they find a coffee shop to buy hot cocoa. The attentiveness made the brown-haired boy absolutely ecstatic, as he whirled about looking for a shop.

Looking across the street, Tsukishima made out a little sign that shown “The Little Crow” in cursive, black lettering. The name seemed to tick a little memory in his mind, but he couldn’t put his finger on it. He continued to scrutinize the building, trying to figure out where he had heard that name before as he and Yamaguchi walked up to a crosswalk. Yamaguchi pressed the button, chatting happily about how the weather appeared to be clearing up– which Tsukishima wasn’t exactly sure how Yamaguchi could tell this, as the weather seemed to be just as bad as it was when they had left their dorm.

Cars zoomed past them as they waited for the light to let them cross. Yamaguchi hummed a little to himself, bopping his head to the tune is his head. Tsukishima noticed that it was one of the songs he had just written for the band not too long ago.

Suddenly, his eyes caught on a flash of orange. His gaze darted to one of the windows that lined the café. He felt his shoulders go rigid as he saw, sitting in front of the window inside The Little Crow, was none other than Hinata Shouyou and Kageyama. A grimace graced his face as he watched them converse with each other using animated motions. He presumed that they were arguing, most likely yelling, as they moved closer and closer by the second. _So that’s where I’ve heard the name before_ , Tsukishima thought to himself as he remembered Suga telling him where he and Daichi had met Hinata. 

The light turned, indicating they could walk. Tsukishima did not move from his place as Yamaguchi took two steps forward. He continued to stare at the duo as the shorter boy looked over his shoulder.

“Tsukki? What’s wrong?”

He finally looked at the other man. Tsukishima really did not want to go into or anywhere _near_ the shop where two of his least favorite people resided. But he also didn’t want to disappoint his friend. Although, Yamaguchi never really gets mad, and he’d rather not deal with two over eccentric and stupid headaches today. He shook his head as he said, “Yamaguchi. I don’t wanna go in there.”

Yamaguchi frowned slightly as he stared back at him. He knew it was wrong to put his wellbeing before Yamaguchi’s, but he figured Yamaguchi would be fine as long as he was happy. And he guessed that that was right as Yamaguchi sighed and shook his head, but gave a little smile as he responded, “Alright, Tsukki.”

Tsukishima couldn’t ignore the little slouch in the other man’s shoulders and the dullness of his features. “I’ll make us some cocoa at the dorm,” he offered, turning to continue walking down the sidewalk. 

Almost instantly, Yamaguchi perked back up. An eager smile brightened his face and the man’s little flyway bounced happily.

“Okay, Tsukki!” he exclaimed as he came to Tsukishima’s side.

The blonde gave one last glance to the two boys in the shop, and it finally clicked as to exactly _who_ those boys were. _How odd. Since when did those two start hanging out?_ It was definitely a peculiar sight that would need to be addressed later. His thoughts trailed away from the duo as he and Yamaguchi bounded back to campus, the sky brightening as clouds begun to part.


	5. With A Little Help From My Friends

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> Hey everyone! Sorry this chapter is really short, I’ve been really swamped with homework and midterms so I haven’t had ANY time to myself, but I just wanted to get a really quick chapter out for y’all. That being said, I’ll reread this again later, so sorry for any mistakes right now. If I have time I’ll do a double post next week in apology for this short chapter lol. Anyway, hope you enjoy!

A small smile graced Kuroo’s face as he listened to the boy next to him hum a little tune. Kenma hummed as the two of them walked down a small sidewalk in the middle of campus. It was a beautiful day for January, not a cloud in sight and warmer than usual. So, Kuroo had decided to walk around campus a bit with Kenma before heading back to the other’s dorm to hang out. Kuroo had ended the day with one of his literature classes, which he never enjoyed because reading and writing was so much harder than math. But the warm presence of the sun and the boy at his side was definitely brightening his mood.

The shorter, blonde-haired boy was engrossed by the device currently in his hands. He tapped at his phone screen, playing some game Kuroo couldn’t see. Even though it may seem like the boy wasn’t even paying attention to him, Kuroo didn’t mind at all. They’d been friends for so long, so he was used to the way Kenma acted, especially in public. The smaller boy’s social anxiety had always made it hard for him to interact with others, and Kuroo was just lucky enough to have met the boy when they were both young and desperate for a friend. And he actually enjoyed it, being able to place a hand on the space between Kenma’s shoulder blades to occasionally steer him clear of street lamps and people.

Suddenly, Kenma stopped humming. Kuroo looked down, about to ask what was up when he noticed Kenma stood a few paces behind him. He turned around and saw that Kenma had looked up from his game. He was currently staring off to the right, and Kuroo followed his gaze. His eyes immediately locked onto a shock of orange hair.

“Ah, it’s Hinata!”

Kenma merely nodded. They stood there for bit, Kuroo watching Kenma, who was watching the orange-haired boy. He then realized that Kenma probably wanted to go talk to the shorter boy, but was too nervous to actually do it.

Kuroo smiled at him. “Do you wanna go say hi?”

Kenma nodded his head again, slightly more insistent this time. Kuroo gave a small, good-natured laugh at how cute the boy in front of him was. He held his right arm out slightly, offering it as he knew Kenma would take a hold of his sleeve.

Together, Kuroo led them toward the boy that was sat at a picnic table. Said boy was currently clutching onto a stack of haphazard papers, frantically flipping through the pages.

Just before they reached the table, Kuroo decided to call out in greeting, “Hinata!”

The small boy looked up, confused before an elated grin overtook his features. He began waving his free hand excitedly whilst screaming, “Kenmaaa! Kuroo!”

Kuroo smiled as they walked up to the table, and Kenma greeted with a quiet, “Hi, Shouyou.”

He moved to sit at the bench across from Hinata and watched as Kenma let go of his sleeve to sit next the other boy. The raven-head rested his chin in one of his palms, watching Hinata and Kenma interact in front of him. Hinata spoke excitedly, using wide arm movements and Kenma would nod quietly, adding a word or two into the conversation. A small smile graced his lips as he saw how comfortable Kenma was around Hinata, even with how eccentric the boy was. It appeared Kenma didn’t mind the other boy’s loudness, and Hinata didn’t mind Kenma’s quietness.

Then, Kenma quickly glanced over at Kuroo, their eyes meeting for a split second. Kenma blinked slowly and sighed before he asked, “Why are you looking at me like that, Kuro.”

Kuroo’s smile widened. “It’s just nice to see you making friends, kitten.”

Immediately, a sour expression graced Kenma’s face. “Don’t call me that.”

He just let out a bark of laughter. Kenma really was just so cute. He heard the boy give a groan and it made him laugh harder.

He continued chuckling for a bit, finally settling down to continue watching Kenma. The fake-blonde kept stealing glances at Kuroo, and finally, locking eyes once again, Kuroo snuck in a little wink. Kenma bristled slightly as red dusted his cheeks. He looked away quickly, gaze going back to Hinata as the boy kept talking about something Kuroo had not been listening to.

The sound of Kenma’s voice brought him out of his head and into the conversation. “You’re stressed,” he said dully, but Kuroo could read a flash concern in his eyes.

Kuroo finally noticed that Hinata currently had his hands embedded deep into his orange locks, tugging in frustration. “Yeah, dude, this _sucks._ ”

“Wait, what’s going on?” Kuroo asked in confusion.

Kenma gave a small sigh before explaining. “Shouyou is having trouble with one of his assignments for music. Apparently, he doesn’t know how to read sheet music.”

Hinata gave a loud, long groan. “It’s so stupid. And Kageyama is so stupid. We’re supposed to be helping each other, but all he does is yell and make fun of me.” Kuroo cocked his head in confusion, still not fully understanding the situation and Hinata noticed. “So, Kageyama and I realized we were currently in the same situation, we’re struggling with our projects for our music classes so we decided to help each other. I’m supposed to help him write lyrics and he’s gonna help me play instruments other than piano.” Kuroo nodded along, listening intently to the story as Hinata’s face contorted with stress. “So, last night we had our first little practice and it went _so badly_. Kageyama was trying to teach me how to compose an instrumental for my song, but I just couldn’t understand any of the notes he was writing and he got mad at me. He kept telling me I was stupid and that I needed to try harder to learn sheet music, but _I have_ been trying. It’s just so hard to learn on my own! I don’t even know where to start!” With the last exclamation, his head slumped onto the table, crumpling his stack of papers slightly.

Kenma lifted a tentative hand and lightly placed it on the boy’s shoulder. He patted it twice, offering a small, “I’m sorry, Shouyou.”

Hinata seemed to have recognized how rare the little display from someone like Kenma was, and the boy beamed.

“It’s alright! I’m just gonna have to spend a lot more time on it than I had thought.”

Kuroo studied the orange-haired boy. He decided that he liked him shortly after they had properly met, as he reminded him of a tiny Bokuto. And seeing someone as excitable as Hinata being so stressed out was a difficult sight.

“Hinata,” he started, gaining the boy’s attention, “look, I’d be more than happy to teach you how to read sheet music.” He took a glance at Kenma before continuing, “And I’m sure Kenma would be fine with helping as well.”

Hinata perked up. “Wait, really?” he exclaimed. “You’re willing to help me?”

Kuroo smiled genuinely. He was definitely like a little Bokuto. He nodded, “Sure, man. I hate seeing someone so down.” Kuroo watched as Hinata practically buzzed with excitement. He screamed thank you’s, praising the tall man for his kindness.

Kuroo gave a nervous chuckle as a look of such adoration crossed Hinata’s face. He looked to Kenma and was met with the slightest upturn of the boy’s lips which caused Kuroo to feel heat rise to his cheeks. _Goddamit,_ he thought, coughing a little into his hand to keep himself occupied.

“Ah, if you’re not busy, Ken and I were gonna go hang out in his dorm…” he started, looking to Kenma once again, asking a silent question with a slight raise of his brow. Kenma simply nodded. “If you’d like to join us, we can start lessons now.”

“Uwahhhh! Yes, of course!! Thanks, Kuroo-Senpai.”

Kuroo gave a laugh. He could see why Kenma had felt so comfortable around this little ball of sunshine so quickly. “No problem at all, Hinata.” After a moment, a smirk grew on his face. “Kenmaaaaa,” he whined, “why don’t _you_ ever call me senpai.”

The reaction he had been fishing for appeared promptly on Kenma’s face. He looked disgusted, and Kuroo laughed as the small boy responded, “Ew. You’re so gross, Kuro.”

A little while later, the three boys found themselves seated on the floor of Kuroo’s dorm. The kid had been gifted a single, much to his liking. Kenma had been stuck with an awful roommate his freshman year and vowed to never let the system randomly select a roommate for him ever again.

Kenma was currently sitting cross-legged to his left, tapping at the buttons of his GameBoy. Kuroo watched the boy fondly as he cutely wiggled his toes.

Kuroo was currently situated in front of Hinata, a single piece of paper placed between them.

“So, let’s just go over the basics,” he said as he pointed to the paper. It was blank, as he decided it would probably be easier for Hinata to focus on one thing at a time. “These lines,” he said, running his pointer finger along the five lines grouped together, “represent the notes you play. So, A through G. Each line and space represents a note, or letter I should say. Unfortunately, it doesn’t just go up and down, A through G.” He paused to look up to check if Hinata was following, and the smaller boy was leaning forward on his hands, concentrated solely on the paper. “So, there’s a few things you can use to remember the order,” he said while reaching into Kenma’s bag next to him, fishing out a thin black pen. “The spaces, from bottom to top, spell out FACE. Here, see.” Kuroo took the pen and began drawing a dot between each line, then labeling each of them F, A, C, and E, respectively. “These are where your notes F, A, C, and E are. Easy enough, right?”

Hinata nodded vehemently, and Kuroo chuckled slightly at the boys enthusiasm.

“So, the notes for the lines are a little harder to remember right off the bat. Of course, if you remember F-A-C-E, you can figure out the lines by just going through alphabetical order,” he said, demonstrating as he sang in alphabetical order while pointing to each designated line and space. “Or you can remember the phrase, ‘Every Good Boy Does Fine’ to know which notes go for each line. The bottom line starts with E,” he explained, pointing to the bottom to write in the letter and moving up to each note, “then G, B, D, and F. Got it?” Kuroo looked up to the orange-haired boy.

He smiled brightly, “Yeah! That makes sense!” He began bouncing slightly, letting his knees flap while in his cross-legged position. “You’re really good at this,” he praised, and Kuro just chuckled, waving a dismissive hand in response.

“Alright then, now let’s go into the different symbols you actual use in writing.”

“Done!” Hinata exclaimed as he lifted his head up from Kenma’s desk. The boy stood from his chair, and came down to sit in front of Kuroo, who was still sitting on the floor.

It had been nearly two hours since they had started their lesson, and while he was thoroughly exhausted, Hinata had been a pretty easy student and fast learner. He got the concepts Kuroo talked about quickly, and Kuroo had learned that it was because Hinata actually understood most of it all already, he just didn’t know the proper notations for sheet music.

Hinata handed the paper he had been working on to Kuroo. Kuroo decided that he wanted to see how much Hinata had gotten from this single session, so he had the boy annotate an elementary piece of piano sheet music. Kuroo’s eyes scanned over the page, matching the symbols to Hinata’s scribbles of chord notations. 

He smiled at the boy, “Great job Hinata! You actually got them all right.”

Hinata perked up, a small look of awe placed on his face. “Really? Yes!” He cheered, pumping a fist. “Eat that, Kageyama!”

Kuroo let out one of his laughs that always made Kenma embarrassed in public. Hinata sure was a weird kid, but Kuroo couldn’t help but admire the passion he had.

“Thanks, Kuroo!” Hinata whooped as he went back to the desk. As Kuroo watched Hinata begin to gather up his things, his hand flitted over to the head on his lap. Kenma had decided to take a nap about an hour ago, and Kuroo could feel the soft snores reverberating through the small boy. He carded his fingers through the dyed hair gently, marveling at the softness.

Hinata shouldered his backpack before spinning around, mouth open as if he were about to say something, but he stopped as his gaze fell onto the two boys. His eyes softened at the sight. There was a small beat of silence, and then Hinata commented, “You guys are so cute together.”

Kuroo’s eyes widened and his hand instinctively left Kenma’s head. He could feel heat rise up his neck as he began stuttering, “Oh, uh, we–” he cleared his throat quietly, “we’re not together– uh, like that.” Hinata’s eyes widened as well as he realized, and Kuroo’s blush intensified.

It was Hinata’s turn to stutter. “Shit, uh, um, I’m sorry, I didn’t mean to assume or anything.” A nervous hand came to scratch at the back of his head.

Kuroo just gave a small chuckle. “It’s okay, really.” His eyes flitted back down to Kenma, and a small smile graced his face. “It’s fine. I just don’t think Kenma would be too happy if people thought we were dating,” he gave, letting out another chuckle to hide the somberness of his statement.

Hinata cocked his head as he looked at Kuroo confusedly. “I doubt that,” he said simply. It surprised Kuroo, how sudden and matter-of-factly he said it. But before he could comment, Hinata moved on.

“Well, it was really great getting to hang out with you guys. And seriously, I appreciate your help,” he said with a bright smile.

“Of course, no problem at all. Kenma really likes you so I figured I could help out. Here, take my number and feel free to text or call if you have any questions.”

Hinata brightened. “Okay!” He yelled, before he clamped a hand down on his hand, just remembering the sleeping boy. “Okay,” he said quieter, “thanks Kuroo.”

The boys exchanged numbers and then said their goodbyes. With Hinata gone, Kuroo sighed and leaned his head back onto the wall. He listened to the quiet breathing of the small boy. His eyes fell onto his sleeping face. He looked so soft then, and Kuroo wanted to kiss every inch of Kenma’s face. He took in a deep, steadying breath.

After a few more minutes of just sitting, relishing in the weight on his thigh, he gently shook Kenma awake.  
“Hey, Ken. Hinata left, let’s get you to bed.”

Kuroo watched as the smaller boy stirred, rubbing at his eyes as he sat up. His mind flashed back to the other night, and he wanted nothing more than to snuggle up to the adorable boy once again. Kenma hummed lowly in acknowledgement as he moved to crawl into his bed. Kuroo finally stood up, his legs feeling a little stiff and numb as he hadn’t moved in over an hour.

He gathered his things, trying to be as quiet as possible as he heard Kenma’s breathing even out once again. Kuroo turned off the desk lamp, leaving him in the darkness. He just stood there. Moonlight filtered in from the single window, softly illuminating Kenma’s features. His lips were slightly parted, long eyelashes casting slight shadows across his cheeks, and a few pieces of hair falling into his face.

The sound of Hinata saying, _‘I doubt that’_ , flitted back into his mind, and he bit his lip.

_Shit_ , he thought, as he quickly moved away from the bed, away from his sleeping best friend. _Best friend_. Kuroo shook his head. His thoughts had been getting more clouded recently, and it really had to stop soon or else he’d combust. He moved toward the door, and as his hand came to rest on the door knob, he threw back one last glance.

“Goodnight, kitten,” he whispered into the dark room before he left.


	6. Rolling in the Deep

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> Hey everyone! I was feeling a little down so I decided to write the next chapter of this story instead of doing my homework lol. This chapter was a little hard for me to write, specifically Hinata and Kageyama's interactions, but hopefully you all enjoy it! I'll most likely post another chapter this weekend, so I'll see y'all later!

Kageyama stared at the door in front of him. It looked identical to the door of his own dorm, with a disgustingly bare, off-white color and chipping paint. The only difference was that it resided in the building across from his and belonged to someone he really never expected to become acquainted with.

He took a deep breath and brought a hesitant hand up to knock onto the hard wood three times. Shuffling and soft mumbles resounded from behind the door. The noises went on for far too long, and Kageyama could feel himself starting to get impatient. Another few moments passed, and once a loud crash sounded from within the room followed by an indignant squawk, Kageyama promptly started pounding on the door.

“Oi! Dumbass, open this goddamn door!” he yelled.

He heard another squeak from behind the door and rolled his eyes. Hinata knew that he was coming over, so Kageyama couldn’t understand why the boy was just now straightening up.

The door finally clicked as it unlocked and was swung open. Standing in the doorway was the short, orange-haired boy that had recently started to haunt his nightmares.

“Kageyama!” Hinata exclaimed in greeting, a too bright smile adorning his tiny face.

Kageyama just huffed. “Hinata boke, I was standing out there for ages,” he grumbled dramatically as he stepped into the dorm.

He moved further in, glancing around the small double. He barely paid attention to the remarks Hinata shouted back as he moved to place his bag on the floor. The layout was the same as his own dorm room, except for the dually cluttered desks and unmade beds. Apparently Hinata’s roommate was just as unorganized as him. His eyes finally landed on a disorderly pile of books and miscellaneous papers at the foot of the bed– which he guessed was the source of the loud noise he had heard earlier– and he lifted an eyebrow at Hinata. The boy blushed, and stuttered out a quick excuse, “I was trying to put them away when they all just kinda– fell.”

Kageyama just shook his head. What a klutz. He’d barely known the man for three weeks and he was already used to the Hinata’s over-eccentric and graceless tendencies.

He sighed and plopped down onto an open area on the floor, seeing as though both desks were preoccupied. “Welp,” he said, dragging a few folders out of his backpack, “let’s get right down to business.”

This was their second time meeting to try and work out each of their own projects. Their first time, which was last Wednesday, definitely did not go well. The smaller boy had been infuriating. He was so whiny and hard to teach since he didn’t know half of the things Kageyama was talking about when showing him sheet music for a random guitar piece. He tried to remind himself that it would take time, but Kageyama had never been a patient person. Thus, the entire evening boiled down to arguing and not actually making any progress. But it was now Sunday, with Kageyama giving himself a few days to cool off and hopefully for Hinata to actually learn at least a bit on how to read sheet music so that they could go into composing pieces for other instruments. Although, luckily they had decided to work on Kageyama’s project for today.

“Always so serious,” Hinata muttered as he sat down in the space in front of Kageyama. He sat with his legs crossed, and Kageyama couldn’t help but think he looked like an elementary schooler, all bright-eyed and fidgety.

“Shut up, we actually have to do some work today if we expect to finish both of our songs in time.”

“Yeah, yeah, I know,” Hinata responded with a flippant hand. “Alright, so, where do you wanna start?”

Kageyama began sifting through his papers. He hadn’t really been able to start thinking about his song at all. He groaned. “I don’t even know, I’ve never tried to write a song like this before,” he gave truthfully. He never had to worry about multiple parts before, like the melody, lyrics, and whatnot. This was all completely new territory.

Hinata beamed. “Okay, that’s alright!” He grabbed onto his his legs where they crossed in front of him and began rocking back and forth as he continued. _Definitely a kindergartener,_ Kageyama thought. “When I write songs, it usually starts with an idea of what it’ll be about.”

Kageyama just stared at him. “What do you mean?”

Hinata put a pointer finger to his chin as he thought. “Hm, like the feelings I want to be portrayed. The story behind the song. Don’t you write your songs about a topic?”

“Uh, no. I just make music that sounds good.”

Hinata gawked, “Are you serious?” Kageyama offered a glare as his answer, and Hinata shook his head. “Okay, well, this might be a bit harder than I thought,” he offered sheepishly.

Kageyama huffed and crossed his arms. “That’s what I’ve been trying to tell you. I literally don’t know _anything_ about writing songs that aren’t just purely instrumental.”  
Hinata’s head cocked to the head. “But instrumentals can have feeling, too.” The comment made Kageyama’s mind flashback to Hinata’s audition, the way he played the piano with so much emotion conveyed just through sound and no words. He was suddenly irritated. There’s _no way_ Hinata was actually _better_ than him at something.

“Whatever. Are you gonna help me write some lyrics?”

Hinata nodded his head excitedly. “Of course! But first! Your topic,” he said, leaning in slightly. Kageyama then noticed how close they actually were to each other. His folders were the only space between them, their knees nearly touching. He tried to lean back slightly, but Hinata just came in further. “What goes on in that little brain of yours, Kageyama?”

Kageyama flared. He leaned into the boys space, “ _My_ little brain! You’re the one with the little brain, dumbass!” He looked into brown eyes and was met with mirth. Hinata started laughing and that’s when his mind starting working again, finally registering the _very_ close proximity. He leaned back with a huff as Hinata’s chuckles filled the room.

“Sorry, sorry,” he said through his laughs, holding his hands up in defense, “you just get riled up so easily.” Kageyama shot him a hard glare and opened his mouth to retort, but Hinata held up a finger. “C’mon Bakageyama, you said it yourself, we gotta get some work done today,” Hinata said, face placated in seriousness, but his eyes were fired up.

Since when did Hinata make Kageyama feel like the child in this situation. He grumbled out an agreement and Hinata grinned.

“Alright, so seriously, we need a topic for your song. It could be literally _anything_ , like the story you want to tell, the feelings you want to portray, whatever!” Hinata explained excitedly.

Kageyama grunted in response. “Right, and how do you usually come up with that?”

“Well usually I write based off of things that have happened to me or my current feelings. Like, writing things you actually experience is easier than trying to make up things, at least for me.”

“Write about myself?” he asked. This was making absolutely no sense. He didn’t want to write an autobiography, he just need a song for his project.

“No!” Hinata shouted, looking as exasperated as Kageyama himself felt. “Write about your _feelings_. Do you even have feelings, Bakageyama?”

He bristled, “Of course I have feelings you idiot! I’m a human being!”

Hinata let out a long groan and leaned his head back. “Right, how could I forget that you’re constantly angry.” He snapped back up and shot Kageyama a glare, “But that’s the only emotion you seem to have!”

Kageyama just stared at the orange-haired boy. He realized that he couldn’t really argue with that. Albeit reluctantly, he had to admit that he was pretty emotionally inept. But it’s not like that mattered much, right? As long as his music sounded good, well put-together, people would enjoy it, right? _Right,_ he confirmed himself.

“Ugh, whatever,” he groaned. “Fine, I’ll try to think of a topic.”

Hinata smiled brightly in response, “Perfect!"

Half an hour later, and Kageyama still could not think of a topic. He was getting _frustrated_. Nothing he came up with so far was good enough (it was all _so stupid,_ like how did he possibly think writing a song about _milk_ would work??) and his back was starting to hurt from sitting on Hinata’s poorly carpeted floor. Hinata himself wasn’t much help, just laying on his back on the floor next to Kageyama, humming a very annoyingly bright tune and constantly tapping on his phone. Kageyama could tell the other boy was texting someone, and he had nearly asked what the other person could have possibly said that was so funny it caused Hinata to cry real tears. But, of course, he held the question back and saved himself the embarrassment of actually seeming interested in what Hinata did.

Kageyama angrily scratched out yet another idea. He wanted to fling his pen at the adjacent wall. He really felt the urge to do it, when Hinata piped up.

“You’re kinda awkward, huh, Kageyama,” he said nonchalantly. Kageyama froze, taken aback. _Where the hell did that come from?_ His shock soon morphed into anger, and he threw Hinata the coldest glare he could muster.  


“Who the hell just asks something like that?” he barked out.

Hinata noticed the malice in his voice and quickly retraced his steps. He sat up abruptly and started waving his hands dramatically, as if he could physically dissipate the anger Kageyama felt. “Not that it’s a bad thing!” Hinata hurriedly shouted. “I didn’t mean it like that, I swear! I just noticed you’re a lot more like Kenma than I had first realized.”

Kageyama cocked his head to the side. “Huh?”

Hinata looked flustered now. Red flooded his cheeks and he stuttered out his response. “I– I mean– just Kenma is really shy in public and– and you seem to be kinda like that– like you seem to have a hard talking to people,” Hinata explained, looking down at his fidgeting fingers. Kageyama just continued to stare in silence, which seemed to make Hinata even more self-conscious. But what the hell was he supposed to say to that? Like, _yeah thanks for comparing me to the most anti-social guy I know, I definitely needed that psychoanalysis at 7:00pm on a Sunday._ Hinata may have realized Kageyama’s inability to properly respond, so he frantically shot down the conversation. “Sorry! Just forget about it,” he chuckled nervously, “I don’t even know why I brought it up.”

He stared as the other boy brought a hand up to scratch the back of his head. He could let the boy flounder in his embarrassment, but Kageyama’s mind was burnt out and he just wanted answers.

“When did you become so close to Kozume,” he found himself asking.

Hinata seemed to be more than relieved by the subject change and happily answered. “Oh! We’ve been texting a whole bunch ever since that concert!” He fell back down onto his back while kicking his legs up into the air as he continued talking. “Even though he’s really quiet, he’s super fun to talk to!” Hinata turned his head to the side to look at Kageyama. An easy smile adorned his face, and his feet started wiggling slightly in the air. “He and Kuroo are even helping me learn sheet music!”

He hadn’t been expecting that. Kageyama looked back in shock, asking, “Really?”

Hinata nodded passionately, although a little awkward due to the angle on the ground, “Yeah! Kuroo is the best! He’s so smart and nice, I already know all the symbols and everything!”

Kageyama was once again thoroughly surprised. Not only had Hinata successfully befriended the two mysterious cats of The Currents, he had already mastered the basics of reading music in a mere couple of days. _He was really able to learn that fast?_ , Kageyama thought to himself, incredulously. He allowed himself to be impressed for all of two seconds before a scowl settled on his face. There was no way Hinata could be surpassing him _already_. The boy was great at interacting with people (and apparently Kageyama's inability to socialize was common knowledge), able to write and play music with immense emotion, and now he was going to be able to properly compose music? Kageyama could not let that happen.

“Whatever,” he muttered pettily, “you’re still short.”

He was met by a loud exclamation of “Hey!” and a smirk found its way on his lips. That was more like it. He looked back down at his notebook, where a dozen (horrible) song ideas were etched and crossed out. He really wanted to do this on his own, especially with the creeping presence of Hinata catching up to him, but he was at a complete loss.

He sighed. “Hinata, I truly cannot think of anything to write this song about.” Kageyama looked up to the other boy and was met with a determined look.

“Well,” Hinata thought, “if anger is supposedly the only thing you understand,” he said causing Kageyama to growl in response at the backhanded comment. “Why don’t you try to think of things that have made you angry. There’s obviously a lot of possibilities,” Hinata said with a roll of his eyes, “but what is a specific thing that _always_ makes you angry." The first thing that came to mind was responding with a snide _‘you’_ but before he could say that, Hinata quickly added, “And don’t say me!” Kageyama nearly laughed. Nearly.

But, he decided to actually put some thought into it. Something that made him angry… really all he could think of at the moment was arguing with Hinata. Though, whenever they argued it never really seemed to be _true_ anger, like it was all in good fun, at least most of the time. He delved deeper into his mind, staring at a random spot on the carpet. _When have I been truly angry?_

Suddenly, a moment flashed through his mind. His features darkened. _Of course_ , he thought as he remembered just a week or so ago to the night of Hinata’s audition. The night Tsukishima had called him ' _King'._

Bingo. So he was capable of emotions, but he wasn’t sure this part of his past was something he should talk to Hinata about, let alone write a song about. His past was not something he liked to think about, and he rarely ever let himself dwell on such events.

“I guess you found something, huh,” Hinata asked hesitantly. 

Kageyama then realized he had crumpled one of his sheets into a tight fist. He promptly let go and tried– but to no avail– to flatten it back out. He glanced up to see Hinata watching him curiously. Instead of meeting the gaze head-on, he decided that a corner of the room was particularly interesting.

Hinata let out a breath of a laugh. “You know I can’t help you unless you tell me what you’re thinking.”

Kageyama turned a glare onto the boy. He knew he was just trying to help, but it wasn’t like he could just spill his entire life story to write a single song. That’s not how these things worked. They continued to stare at each other in silence, icy glare meeting an expectant gaze.

Finally, Hinata spoke once more. “It’s okay if it’s a little embarrassing, I mean I know I’m asking you kind of a lot to expose some of your emotions to me,” he spoke softly, with a look in his eyes Kageyama couldn’t quite place, “but I truly believe the best songwriting manifests from real emotions.”

He stared at the man in front of him for a moment longer, letting his words sink in before he sighed. “It’s about my past,” he finally admitted. Kageyama’s attention shifted to his fingers, absentmindedly picking at the loose threads of his sock.

Hinata took in a slow breath, seemingly choosing his words carefully. “I don’t mind if you tell me about it,” he offered gently. “If you talk about it maybe we can figure out how to start writing your song.”

Kageyama finally looked up and met Hinata’s eyes. A small, pleasant smile graced the other’s face. Once again, Kageyama found himself questioning how someone who normally acted like a coked-up five year old could suddenly be so mature. His fingers began fervently twisting one of the threads. _Was this really okay?_ Alarms were sounding off in his mind, telling him he should not open up to this– essentially– stranger. But something about the open warmth in Hinata’s features made Kageyama think that maybe, just this once, it would be okay. He found himself letting out a heavy sigh. His shoulders slouched forward, slightly curling in on himself as he made up his mind. It’s not like he had a choice, really, if he wanted to get this song done.

“I guess it started in middle school,” he mumbled. Kageyama waited a moment, seeing if Hinata would change his mind and retract his offer. But a small glance at the other boy showed that he was just patiently waiting for the rest of the story. Kageyama took in a steadying breath. “Um,” he continued, slightly fidgeting, “I’ve never actually had to tell anyone about this before.” Why was he suddenly so nervous. The acceptance and openness Hinata was currently showing him was something he’d never experienced before, and the undivided attention was starting to make him flustered. He cleared his throat too loudly, making himself wince. “So, uh, in middle school, I was in a band. I joined with two of my classmates, a band made by a couple of our upperclassmen; you actually met them,” he said, directing his attention to Hinata briefly, “at The Currents’ concert. Oikawa-san and Iwaizumi-san.

“And…” he trailed off. This was the difficult part, the part he wasn’t exactly sure how to share. “Well, I’m not completely sure, myself, how things had gotten that way, but,” he paused once again, breathing to calm his nerves. _Why was this so difficult?_ “Things were strained between all of us, and I, admittedly, did not have the best behavior.” At this admittance, Hinata cocked his head to the side in a silent question.

Kageyama sighed. He was really going to have to spell it out for him. “I was a perfectionist–”

“More so than now?” Hinata abruptly interrupted.

“Yes, dumbass! I–,” _dammit_ , he was getting frustrated, “Just let me finish!”

Hinata squeaked. “Sorry! Sorry, go on,” he insisted.

Kageyama let out a groan. _Just rip it off like a bandaid_ , he kept telling himself. “I was like, really controlling… I mean it started off good. We were just having fun, but when I joined as the band’s second vocalist, Oikawa had it out for me from the beginning. He never outright said it, but I always knew.” Kageyama cringed, remembering how his past self was somehow even worse than his current. “I guess it kind of got to my head,” he explained. “I was constantly trying to improve myself, challenging Oikawa as if he were a competitor rather than my bandmate. That all escalated into me wanting the others to improve as well; like, I was putting in all this extra effort, so why couldn’t everyone else?” Kageyama paused, then scratched the back of his head as he said, “It definitely… wasn’t pretty.

“And then,” he continued, feeling animosity spark in his chest, “that’s how I got the nickname.” He noticed Hinata stiffen, as he spit out, “ _King_.” Involuntary, his hands clenched into tight fists, the knuckles turning white and his blunt fingernails biting into his palm. Even all those years later, the nickname still had this kind of effect on him.

Suddenly, a comforting hand was placed on his knee. Kageyama willed himself not to look up at Hinata, and decided to train his eyes on the tiny hand as Hinata spoke, “It’s okay, you’re not that person anymore.”

Kageyama let out a shaky breath he didn’t know he had been holding. He wasn’t sure how he expected Hinata to react to all of this, but the support was greatly appreciated– even though he’d never tell the other boy that.

Without prompt, Hinata continued, “What happened after that?”

He looked down, letting his long, black bangs cover his eyes. “They…,” he trailed off. Kageyama was petrified of finally admitting what had happened to him out loud. It was humiliating, shameful. But, that was when he realized the hand was still on his knee, rubbing smooth circles over the soft skin there. “Once we got to high school,” he continued, “they all decided to leave. They decided it was best to disband without even telling me. I was the only one left.”

It was silent after that. He figured Hinata didn’t know what to say to that, he wouldn’t know what to say either. So he just kept talking, trying to fill the somber air with words.

“Iwaizumi-san had apologized not long after that. He’s naturally a very caring person, and had helped me out quite a lot throughout high school. Oikawa, on the other hand,” Kageyama let out a low chuckle, “Oikawa is Oikawa. He’s an interesting guy, always absorbed in his own world and never showing his true self. He’s…,” he trailed off. He wasn’t even sure what he was trying to say at this point, so he just shook his head. “I understand why things happened the way they did.”

Once again, they were left in silence as Hinata just looked at him. His head was titled to the side, brows slightly furrowed and bottom lip between his teeth. Kageyama watched as he gnawed lightly on his lip. And then, suddenly, Hinata jumped.

He leaned forward expectantly as he spoke. “That’s why you didn’t want a second vocalist!” he yelled, matter-of-factly. Kageyama watched as the orange-haired boy put the pieces together in his mind, and his reluctance came back in full force. He felt his cheeks begin to warm. _Why had he thought it a good idea to open up to Hinata of all people?_ But then, a very bright smile lifted onto Hinata’s face, and all of Kageyama’s self-conscious seemed to disappear like a shadow in the middle of the day. “It wasn’t because you hate me!”

Kageyama was taken aback by the exclamation. Hinata thought he hated him? Well, looking back at their past interactions, that would appear to be the conclusion. And Kageyama couldn’t argue that he particularly liked this guy. But his reason for not wanting Hinata in the band wasn’t solely because of his hatred for the small guy.

Instead of actually acknowledging this epiphany Hinata had, he brushed past it. “I’ve been trying to do better,” he confessed. “Suga says I’ve improved a lot in just this past year.” He looked into excited, brown eyes. “I just can’t go through that again.”

He felt kind of bad, because he could see how much passion Hinata had for music, and he definitely was skilled enough for their band. But… it just wasn’t worth the risk. While Hinata seemed well enough as a person, it would be better if they just stayed in their lanes, helped each other with these projects and then that would be it.

What he hadn’t expected, however, was for Hinata’s eyes to harden in– in determination? Kageyama’a eyes widened, and suddenly, Hinata spoke. “I’d never let that happen.”

The shorter man said it with so much conviction– so much _confidence_ – that, against his better judgement, he believed him.

Kageyama bit the inside of his cheek as he felt a small smile pulling at his lips. Hinata was definitely interesting. But, rather than dwelling on that thought, he sighed and started to gather his things. “It’s late,” he began as he stood up, “and I’ve got a bunch of other homework waiting for me, so I should go.”

Disappointment flashed over Hinata’s features, a little pout that reminded Kageyama of a cute puppy–He shook his head, dispersing the weird thoughts of Hinata’s face and what he suddenly thought of said face.

“We can work on your song next time,” he offered as the other boy stood up, “and I’ll think about my song topic in the meantime.”

Hinata beamed and cheerily agreed, “Okay!”

Kageyama nodded and began toward the door. However, once he had his hand on the knob, he looked back to Hinata. Once again, against his better judgement, as he stepped out of the door, he found himself saying, “We’re practicing tomorrow at 6. Don’t be late.”

* * *

“I feel like someone’s talking shit about me right now.”

“Probably,” Hanamaki and Matsukawa drawled at the same time without a beat. They looked to each other from across the small coffee table and promptly burst out laughing.

Oikawa crossed his arms with a pout. “Iwa-chaaannn,” he whined, looking to the man sat across from him. “Makki and Mattsun are being mean to me!”

Iwaizumi snuck a single glance at Oikawa, then turned back to his book. “You kinda walked into that one,” was all he offered, causing Hanamaki and Matsukawa to laugh even louder.

Oikawa pulled his features into an ugly face and huffed. They were always like this, cracking jokes at the expense of Oikawa’s self-esteem. However, it was late Sunday night, and having been holed up in Hanamaki and Matsukawa’s shared apartment for hours studying, he was starting to actual get offended by the onslaught of offhand comments. But, of course, he could never tell them this. Making fun of him was their favorite pastime apparently, and complaining about it just made him a poor sport. So, sure, he _did_ complain most of the time, but whenever he said something, it was meant to go along with their joking, no matter how true the words he spoke may be.

“Aw, c’mon,” he heard Hanamaki start, “don’t make that face. You don’t wanna ruin your pretty face with wrinkles, Oikawa. It’s the only thing you have going for you, what with that shitty personality.”

This comment managed to elicit a low rumble of snickers from Iwaizumi. Oikawa groaned, he didn’t know how much longer he could go on like this.“I hate you all. I don’t even know why I’m friends with you guys.”

The guys laughed, familiar with Oikawa’s antics and dramatization. “You know you love us,” Matsukawa spoke through a bout of deep chuckles.

“Yeah, plus, it’s not like there's anyone else dumb enough to be friends with you,” Hanamaki added.

“How tactless, you are, Makki-chan,” he said as he sighed. He leaned back on his palms and spread his long legs out under the table. His foot hit Iwaizumi’s knee, and he began absently rubbing the spot with his socked toe. “I miss having bandmates who respected me.”

Iwaizumi grabbed his ankle, getting Oikawa’s attention and halting his foot’s movements. “You mean Kindaichi?” he asked, brow quirked and a smirk playing at his lips. “That guy was just head-over-heals in love with you,” Iwaizumi said, matter-of-factly, “and Kunimi was never bothered to voice his detest for you.”

Oikawa nudged Iwaizumi slightly, as the other man began rubbing slight circles on the inside of his ankle. They were so familiar with each other after years and years of close friendship, and this type of setting always let them be calm and in-tune with one another. “At least they were nice to my face,” he grumbled.

“We’re just playing around, Oikawa,” Matsukawa conceded. He brought a large palm to pat the top of Oikawa’s shoulder.

“Yeah, we’d be lost without you, oh fearless leader,” Hanamaki continued. “May god be with us the day Oikawa must return to hell to fulfill his life’s duty.”

Oikawa let out a groan, tilting his head back. “Ah, I see we’re back to the ‘ruling hell’ bit. Very funny.” His eyes stared up at the ceiling. They felt empty, and he didn’t even have the energy to pout anymore.

He felt a strong squeeze on his left ankle. He brought his head back up lazily and met Iwaizumi’s eyes, as his skin tingled underneath the large, warm hand. “Alright guys, I think Oikawa’s had enough,” he said, although a mirthful smile graced his face. “Besides, we all know if Oikawa ever does disappear one day, it’s because he finally pissed off the aliens for being too nosy.”

Oikawa found himself smiling, genuinely. Iwaizumi must have noticed the difference in Oikawa’s demeanor, whatever tell gave away that the conversation was actually affecting him. It made his chest warm. He chuckled, amazed at how easily Iwaizumi could lift him back up. “I’d be grateful for the day the aliens take me in as one of their own."

“You won’t have to try very hard.”

“You already are one of ‘em."

Iwaizumi let out a hearty laugh that shook his shoulders. He threw his head back, laughing either at the ridiculousness of the statements or their friends’ usual manner of always being in tandem with their comments– probably both. Oikawa’s eyes softened at the beautiful sight as Iwaizumi’s features lit up in a rare, bright smile. Not long after, he found himself joining in.

Iwaizumi’s eyes met his own after a beat.

Hanamaki and Matsukawa moved back into low, idle conversation about who knows what, and Oikawa just let himself watch the man across from him.

_Ah, that’s right_ , he thought to himself as their eyes lingered there for a moment, before Iwaizumi’s looked back down at his book.

_That’s why I’m in love with him._


	7. Two Is Better Than One

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> Hey y'all, so sorry for the late update. The end of the week got HECTIC and I just never had the time to write. Anyway, thank you to everyone who has read this story and have been keeping up with it, it literally makes me so happy to see all of the comments and kudos so THANK YOU!! Also, if you’re wondering, the song Tsukishima is listening to is Fluorescent Adolescent by Arctic Monkeys.
> 
> Onward with the story...

Music blared from Tsukishima’s headphones as he tapped his pencil on his textbook to the beat. The tall blonde could appreciate the pleasant baseline in the current song he was listening to, as it held a prevalent role in the musicality. The song as a whole was enjoyable, obviously. But maybe, he briefly thought, his favorite thing about the song was Yamaguchi. He could tell that his roommate was humming along to the song (he most likely could hear the muffled sound coming out of Tsukishima’s headphones). Although he couldn’t directly hear the hums, the boy sat across from him was nodding his head slightly, lips pursed together and tilting upwards at the corners. 

Tsukishima reached up to his headphones and slipped them down to hang around his neck. As he predicted, humming promptly replaced the loud song. Yamaguchi stopped, probably realizing Tsukishima had noticed his humming. The brunette opened his mouth and brought a sheepish hand to the back of his neck. “Sorry, Ts–”

But before he could finish, Tsukishima yanked the wire of his headphones out of his phone. The song filled the air around them.

Tsukishima held Yamaguchi’s gaze as the shorter boy’s eyes widened, the rest of his apology falling from his lips. A bright smile graced the man’s face, and Tsukishima felt the urge to flinch away from how blinding it was. But he didn’t, and as he continued to stare at his best friend, the boy picked his pencil back up and started on the math worksheet in front of him once more. Yamaguchi went back to nodding along to the beat, but instead of humming, this time he began to sing.

_Oh, the boy’s a slag, the best you’ve ever had_

_The best you’ve ever had is just a memory and those dreams_

The boy’s sweet voice twinkled over the two of them. It wasn’t loud at all, Tsukishima having to strain to hear it over the staticky blare of the song from his phone speakers. Nevertheless, the sound was soothing even though Yamaguchi’s pitch was a bit off here and there. 

_Weren’t as daft as they seem, not as daft as they seem_

_My love, when you dream them up_

Tsukishima brought his pencil up to his mouth and bit down onto the soft wood to keep himself from smiling. Although, this didn’t seem to help much. So, as Yamaguchi continued to sing softly, Tsukishima shook his head and let out a small huff of laughter to hide his contentment. Hiding it from the boy or himself, he wasn’t sure.

“I don’t think it’s possible for you to think and sing at the same time,” he mumbled.

His comment caused the boy across from him to stop singing. It loosened a knot in Tsukishima’s chest and he wasn’t what it entailed, but decided not to dwell on the confusing feeling.

Yamaguchi pouted, although Tsukishima could see the amusement in chocolate eyes. “I’m multitasking,” the boy yelled back.

“Multitasking’s a myth,” he responded matter-of-factly.

The brunette huffed and crossed his arms over his chest. “I guess I’m just built different.”

Involuntarily, Tsukishima snorted. A hand shot out to cover his mouth, but he couldn’t help the bout of low chuckles that escaped his chest at the ridiculous comment. This appeared to please Yamaguchi immensely, as the boy promptly unfurled his arms and perked up with a large smile. Their laughs mingled together, filling the small dorm room a rare moment. Unfortunately, said moment was shattered abruptly as the harsh trumpet of an alarm. The loud sound startled Yamaguchi, and Tsukishima quickly tapped on his phone screen to turn off the abrasive noise.

Yamaguchi sighed, “Ah, that went by so fast.” He began to get up as he continued, “Guess it’s time to go.”

Tsukishima followed suit, getting up from the small table in the middle of their dorm. He shrugged on his backpack as the other boy began wrapping a scarf around his neck. The two gathered their things in a comfortable, familiar silence before heading out of the door.

They walked out onto the dark quad, passing through the quiet campus. Their soft footsteps on the concrete filled the air, and Tsukishima watched his breath puff out in white smoke. His eyes followed it as it curled upwards and dissipated. He tilted his head further back, looking up to the night sky. The moon was a beautiful crescent, hanging high in the sky. Around it, a few twinkling stars dotted the darkness. The campus wasn’t as bright as the surrounding city of Tokyo, so they were lucky to sometimes see a few stars in the night sky.

Tsukishima brought his eyes back to look in front of him as he shoved his hands into his coat pockets. He glanced at the boy beside him. The brunette had been quieter than usual, so Tsukishima expected him to be looking up at the stars as well. However, he was met with the sight of the boy looking down. His face was lit up by an artificial glow, and Tsukishima then noticed the phone in Yamaguchi’s hands. He gathered that Yamaguchi had been too engrossed in texting for the past ten minutes they had been walking. The prospect irked Tsukishima, and he watched as Yamaguchi’s lips quirked up in a silent chuckle. The bassist looked away quickly, deciding to glare at his feet instead. He shoved his hands deeper into his pockets, his shoulders hunching in on himself. Of course Yamaguchi would have other people he texted. It’s not like Yamaguchi was the _only_ person who ever texted Tsukishima. Definitely not. Tsukishima let out an irritated huff. Okay, so maybe Yamaguchi was the only person Tsukishima texted. It’s not like people could usually stand his sarcasm and rude comments, the brunette was the only one who truly understood Tsukishima’s humor. And for that he was grateful. But, maybe the blonde had been too optimistic to think Yamaguchi was the same way. He stole another quick glance to his best friend. Yamaguchi was a lot more pleasant than Tsukishima, he knew that. So it wasn’t hard to believe that the shorter man was able to find a few more close friends. And Tsukishima should have been happy for him, but all it did was make the blonde annoyed.

As they turned down a corner, Yamaguchi finally spoke up. “Hey Tsukki?” The question caused Tsukishima to look at his friend, and he was finally met by big brown eyes looking back at him. His phone was still cradled in his hands, thumbs hovering over the screen, but at least his attention was on Tsukishima this time.

Tsukishima grunted in acknowledgment and Yamaguchi gave a shy smile.

“Would it be alright if I don’t come to your practice today?” Tsukishima’s brain short-circuited. _What?_ But before he could say anything, Yamaguchi continued. The boy looked down at his phone, tapping out a text once again as he spoke. “A few of my friends from comp-sci just asked if I was free to hang out right now. And since I don’t actually do anything for you guys at your practices, I figured it would be alright?”

Shy eyes looked up to him once again, questioning. Tsukishima looked away. He focused on keeping his gaze straight ahead of him as annoyance filled his chest. It’s true, Yamaguchi didn’t _actively_ do anything at their practices, but everyone enjoyed the man’s presence and he made it easier for Tsukishima to deal with his bandmates. 

Tsukishima gave an indifferent shrug. “Sure, do whatever you want,” was his nonchalant reply, drastically different to the battle of emotions welled up within him at the moment. But he had no business telling Yamaguchi that he couldn’t hang out with his other friends just because he wanted the brunette to sit in on his practice.

Wide eyes watched him for a moment, searching his face and causing Tsukishima to will his features into its usual stoicism. Whatever the shorter boy saw must have satisfied him, as he smiled brightly at the blonde. “Alright, Tsukki!”

The two boys were silent as they continued walking for another few minutes before Yamaguchi departed. Tsukishima watched as the other man walked down a separate path toward the opposite side of campus. The tall blonde stood there in the middle of the sidewalk with hands stuffed in his pockets until Yamaguchi was no longer in sight.

A sigh escaped his lips as he started walking down the path once again. He procured his headphones from inside his backpack and slipped them onto his head. If he jammed the jack into his phone with a little more force than necessary, no one needed to know. He turned up the volume on his phone nearly all the way and let the ear-shattering vibrations numb his mind.

Without realizing it, he arrived at the venue building. He trudged through the front door and found his way to the practice room with familiar ease. When he pushed open the door, he was promptly met with a questioning gaze from the silver-haired man inside. Instead of answering the very obvious question of where Yamaguchi was, Tsukishima made his way over to the couch. He plopped down onto the uncomfortable furniture, his long limbs hanging off of the sides. Tsukishima slipped off his glasses and slung an arm over his eyes as he drifted off to nap before their practice started.

* * *

Hinata heard the deep voice repeat the words ‘Don’t be late’ in his mind for the umpteenth time. He checked his watch and his heart leapt into his throat. It was 6:06 PM. He felt like puking as he sprinted down a street just outside of campus.

It was usually only a fifteen minute walk to the venue where Take Flight! practiced, but Hinata had gotten distracted by Terushima, landing him in his current predicament. Although they had different interests, the two roommates were very friendly and supportive in each of their endeavors. Hinata had met Terushima in a random elective class their freshman year, and the two had clicked instantly. Their passionate personalities melded well and the two decided to room together for their sophomore year. 

Terushima had gotten back from baseball practice while Hinata was getting ready to go to the venue. However, this evening Terushima had been practically buzzing with excitement when he returned to their dorm. Obviously, Hinata asked what had gotten the boy so thrilled, and the answer he received was not lacking. Terushima had gone into a long anecdote about some guy in one of his computer science classes who was really cute _and_ nice. The other man couldn’t stop gushing about how adorable his classmate was, and then told Hinata about how he was planning to hang out with him and another classmate tonight. The orange-haired man was equally as excited as Terushima, building off of the man’s animated mood. The boys soon found themselves talking about how fun tonight would be. Hinata was caught up in pumping up his friend when he glanced at his phone. It read 6:01 PM and he felt his stomach flip. He screeched and promptly began scrambling for his things. With a rushed “Good luck!” Hinata was out the door in record time, leaving a stunned Terushima. How Hinata and Terushima spent half an hour talking, Hinata wasn’t sure, but it had happened and Kageyama was going to _kill him_. 

Hinata nearly wept when the building came into view. He jumped through the front doors and sprinted down the halls. And that’s when he realized he had absolutely no clue where he was going. He’d only been to the practice room once and that was _weeks_ ago. Hinata skid to a stop. His head whipped around as he let out small pants.

“ _Shit_ ,” he cursed to himself as he began jogging down the hallways. After what felt like an eternity of jogging through a few walkways, he finally turned a corner and noticed a familiar bathroom sign. Hinata jumped in victory and sprinted down the hallway. He spotted the familiar door and burst it open.

Right as he stepped through the door, something had locked onto his scalp. _Hard_.

“You idiot! You’re _late_!” a voice yelled directly into his ear. Hinata winced from the death-grip that Kageyama had on his head and the assault on his eardrums.

“I got lost!” Hinata hastily exclaimed, trying to wiggle free. “I couldn’t remember how to get to the room!”

“It took you ten minutes to walk around this goddamn building!?”

“Okay, I was a little late to begin with!” he conceded and the hand on his head somehow tightened. “But only like five minutes I swear!” Hinata grabbed onto the taller man’s wrist, trying to pry off the scary man’s hand from his scalp. His movements only caused Kageyama to press down harder, and Hinata yelped in pain.

“Whatever, let’s just start,” a deep voice droned. “I don’t want to be here any longer than I need to.”

“Thank you for the positive words as usual, Tsukishima,” Daichi said drily. Hinata peaked an eye open just in time to see the tall bassist shrug as he moved away from the couch.

Suga let out a pretty laugh as he made his way over to the two boys at the door. Almost immediately, the pressure on his head was gone. Hinata straightened and glanced to his side to see Kageyama standing nervously. Suga shot a look at the dark-dark-haired man and Kageyama fled to somewhere deeper in the room.

When Suga’s eyes met Hinata’s, a warm smile was on the the older boy’s face. “I’m so glad you were able to make it Hinata!” He leaned forward and gave the Hinata a big hug, instantly soothing his previous pain. “Let’s get to work,” he said as a pulled away, holding up a determined thumbs-up.

“Alright, Suga-san!” Hinata cheered enthusiastically. 

He heard Kageyama click his tongue, and Hinata shot a glare at the man which as sent right back.

Kageyama moved to stand behind a mic, and Hinata noticed that the room was set up differently than when he had been there last time. While the couch was still on one side of the room, across from it, the room mimicked the stage outside. A drum set was position toward the back wall next to a large amplifier. Leaning against the amp was Tsukishima’s black bass and Suga’s orange and white electric guitar. Then, next to Kageyama’s mic stand, another mic sat in front of an electric keyboard. Hinata felt his excitement triple as he let the image before him sink in.

Last night, the orange-haired boy had barely slept. Not only was he too excited to _finally_ be apart of a band, but his mind kept going over his conversation with Kageyama. He never would have thought that Kageyama would confide in him with his past. But it was surprisingly nice to have seen such a vulnerable side to the usually angry and terse man. It had made Hinata see his now bandmate in a new light, and Hinata thought that just maybe they’d actually be able to become good friends.

Hinata moved to stand behind the keyboard. He pressed into a few keys and the resounding sound came from a smaller amp to his side.

“Hinata,” a deep voice called, getting Hinata’s attention. He looked over his shoulder to find Daichi and Suga looking at him. Hinata bounded over to the couple as Daichi continued to speak. “We figured that we should go over how things will be for the next couple of weeks now that you’ve officially joined us. In two months, we have the preliminaries for the Tokyo Spring Competition. That being said, we have a little ways to go before we’re ready for the competition.” Daichi lifted his hands on his hips and looked down at Hinata with a small smile. “So, in the meantime, you’re going to be working with Tsukishima to revise some of the songs we already have, adding piano and secondary vocals for your parts. Also, it would be great if you two could write some new songs for the competition.”

Hinata beamed and cheered, “Alright!”

“Two months isn’t as much time as you think, so don’t mess around when we’re working,” Tsukishima droned as he stood off to the side, fiddling with some sheet music. 

Hinata jumped on the balls of his feet and nodded as excitement surged through him. And even as Tsukishima just rolled his eyes in response, Hinata couldn’t edge the thrill he was feeling. He was going to be writing music with his _bandmate_ for his own _band._ He felt he had to pinch himself just to make sure it wasn’t a dream.

Suga then walked up to Hinata and handed him two sheets of paper. “Here’s some stuff Tsukishima wrote up real quick earlier today for one of our songs. Take a few minutes to look it over and familiarize yourself with it while we finish tuning out instruments, and feel free to tweak anything.” Hinata took the papers and exclaimed a “thank you!” before returning to his spot behind the piano. 

_Thank god I practiced with Kuroo_ , he thought as he stared down at the sheet music. His inability to read music notation would have made practice awkward, so he made a mental note to buy the tall man a meat bun in thanks.

As he read over the lines, he felt a sudden presence at his back. Hinata glanced behind himself and was met with blue eyes.

“Can you read it?” Kageyama questioned with a low voice. To his surprise, the question hadn’t come out condescending, but like Kageyama was asking out of genuine concern.

Hinata smiled up to the man. “Yeah! Kuroo’s been a great teacher.”

Kageyama nodded silently, but then leaned closer to peer over Hinata’s shoulder. Hinata knew that Kageyama was just trying to read the paper, but the close proximity put his nerves on edge. And, subconsciously, Hinata noted that the man smelled really good. Before he could question the sudden pounding of his heart, Kageyama spoke once more.

“Ah, I really like this song.” He put a hand on his chin in thought. “It’ll be interesting to see how it sounds with the piano elements.”

“It’ll be awesome,” Hinata exclaimed immediately. “Just you see, piano makes everything better!”

The dark-dark-haired man just rolled his eyes, but Hinata thought the movement looked almost playful rather than irritated. “It can’t make _everything_ better, idiot.”

Hinata just pouted and went back to reading over the sheet. He tried to hear the notes in his head, and made mental changes that he thought would make it sound better. What Tsukishima had wrote would pair nicely with the melody, but Hinata figured that maybe if he played in an octave higher, it might contrast nicely with Kageyama’s deep voice. 

As he was lost in playing the music over in his head, the clearing of a throat behind him caused him to jump slightly. He whipped his head around, and realized he hadn’t known Kageyama was still standing there. The taller man looked off to the side as he spoke, “Are you doing anything after this?”

Hinata cocked his head to the side, confused at the random question. “No,” he replied.

“Did you wanna practice after this?” Kageyama asked, bringing a hand to scratch at the back of his head, eyes still not meeting Hinata’s. “I can start helping you write up some music for other instruments,” he said, and then paused before continuing in a lower voice, “And I may have started writing a few lyrics last night.”

“Okay!” Hinata cheered. “That’s great!”

“It’s whatever,” Kageyama grumbled, “but I’d like to go over them with you if that’s alright.”

“Yeah, of course! Can we go to your dorm this time? My roommate is supposed to have people over tonight.”

Hinata watched Kageyama give a terse nod and then move back to his own microphone. The orange-haired boy watched him for a few moments, letting his happiness sit and fill him up. The fact that Kageyama was able to start writing lyrics due to Hinata’s help made his chest swell with pride.

“You ready?” a voice asked, pulling him out of his thoughts. Hinata saw Suga cooking at him, guitar slung over his shoulders. 

Hinata nodded passionately, causing Suga to laugh lightly. “Alright, let’s get this party started! Daichi, if you will.”

**Remember When - Wallows (Bold - Kageyama, Italics - Hinata, Underline - Suga)**

Daichi chuckled, but then brought his drumsticks together. After the third hit, Tsukishima plucked a single chord on his bass and Suga began picking his guitar. Daichi lightly tapped at the snare until he picked up the beat. A small drop came, and was promptly followed by an energetic sound as Tsukishima played a faster bass line, Suga began strumming, and Hinata joined in with a simple, synthesizer chord progression.

**Thought I saw your shadow under the door**

**Just a trick of the light I've seen before**

**I can never tell what's real anymore**

**Anymore, anymore**

Kageyama began singing, and Hinata could feel the deep rumble of his voice deep in his chest as it came over the speakers.

_I remember when we ran from the pool_

_All the decorations up in your room_

_And I couldn't find the right words to use_

_But I knew that you knew_

A short instrumental followed the first verse, and as Hinata looked down at his sheet, he felt something in his gut telling him to sing the next one. So, as the beat hit, Hinata leaned down to his microphone and sang the lyrics. Kageyama was promptly cut-off, letting his voice die after the first word. Hinata could feel the surprised gaze of his bandmate on his face, but Hinata ignored it and just kept singing.

**_It seems so long, it seems so long_ **

**_The moments that stay, they turn out all wrong_ **

**_When I look around, you're gone_ **

The next verse, Kageyama recovered from his shock and sang with Hinata. Their voices surprisingly harmonized nicely, and Hinata felt excitement bubble up in his chest.

**_Oh, oh, oh-oh, oh-oh_ **

**_Oh, oh, oh-oh, oh-oh_ **

When they transitioned into the short chorus of oh’s, Suga joined in with back-up vocals. Collectively, they all sounded so good and a bright smile found its way onto Hinata’s face. A short instrumental came, and Hinata pressed down on a few high keys, contrasting nicely with the low sounds of the bass just like he thought it would. Then Kageyama’s voice came back as the music began to build. Hinata went back to pressing out long chord progressions coupled with the twinkling keys, adding to the feeling of anticipation.

**All the places I return to**

**All the faces that remind you**

The beat hit, and Kageyama and Hinata began to sing together once more.

**_I can still see you at the place out there when I close my eyes_ **

**_Do you remember when we felt like the only two alive?_ **

**_Don't let me be one of the people at sea, get lost, nomads_ **

**_Would you rewind, do it all over again? Give it a chance_ **

The two vocalists sang excitedly, their enthusiasm building off of each other as each were determined to sing louder and better than the other. Hinata felt the urge to laugh at the joy of it all. It was so much fun. He felt this was where he was meant to be.

**_Oh, oh, oh-oh, oh-oh_ **

**_Oh, oh, oh-oh, oh-oh_ **

**_Oh, oh, oh-oh, oh-oh_ **

**_Oh, oh, oh-oh, oh-oh_ **

As the song ended all at once, the practice room fell silent. Hinata looked around and was met with everyone staring at him. He suddenly felt self-conscious and brought a hesitant hand to scratch at the back of his arm. It stayed silent for a moment longer, when Suga broke it with a loud exclamation.

“That was so good!” He excitedly looked over to the drummer. “Daichi!! We might actually have a chance!”

Hinata let his gaze sweep over to the man next to him, and Kageyama seemed to come out of his stupor. A scowl found its way on his face as he shouted at Hinata, “Idiot! Tell me if you’re going to sing before you just cut me off!”

Hinata brought his hands up to defend his face from any incoming physical assaults. “Sorry!” he exclaimed, waving his hands in front of him. “I wasn’t planning it, it just felt right!”

He heard a scoff and turned to look at Tsukishima. The blonde reached up to fix his glasses as he spoke, “Well, at least your intuition was right.”

The orange-orange-haired boy was thrilled at the almost-compliment, but before he could say anything someone else spoke.

“Alright!” Suga exclaimed with a clap of his hands. “Let’s try that once more! It should sound even better now that we know what to expect,” he said before turning to look at the drummer. “Daichi!” 

That being the only prompt the broad-shouldered man needed, he hit his sticks together three times, and the band started once again. 

***

Hinata watched Kageyama as he jammed his key into the doorknob and shoved into his dorm room. The orange-haired boy followed, immediately shrugging off his backpack and unceremoniously dropping it to the floor.

Kageyama huffed. “You could at least put it down _nicely_ ,” he grumbled, sending a glare to the shorter boy.

Hinata sent a glare right back as he snatched up his bag and slowly placed it down right where it was. Kageyama just rolled his eyes and placed his own backpack on the back of his desk chair. The vocalist’s room was very neat, albeit bare. There were no posters or anything, just some books, a dark blue bed spread, and various instruments stacked under his bed. The last time he had been here, Hinata had been too nervous to really look around the room. And, the two had argued so much that Hinata figured he’d never be allowed in the taller man’s dorm ever again.

As Hinata plopped onto the floor, Kageyama bent in front of a mini fridge at the side of his desk. He obtained a milk carton before taking a seat in front of Hinata. Kageyama stabbed the plastic straw into the carton with more force than Hinata had thought was necessary before he began gulping down the drink.

“Alright,” Kageyama started after a second, “let’s get started writing your instrumentals. Do you have any ideas of what instruments you want to use?”

Hinata hummed. “Yeah, I have a pretty good idea. I have my lyrics written, though I just need to finalize everything later on, so I have an idea of how I want the song to sound,” he explained. “I was thinking of having percussion, bass, guitar, and keyboard.”

Kageyama nodded his head. He stayed silent for a moment, brow furrowed slightly as he thought. Finally, he spoke, “Well, I guess we should start with the guitar first then. It uses a treble clef music notation similar to piano, so it should be the easiest thing for you to understand right now.”

Hinata nodded his head enthusiastically. “Okay!”

“Do you already have the piano part written?”

Hinata reached for his bag. “Yeah! Here,” he said as he handed it to his bandmate. “It’s only in a small section of the entire song because I wanted to try and focus on the other instruments. I’m thinking it would be pretty cool to have it come in for the bridge.”

Kageyama hummed. “Yeah, that would be cool.” A look flashed across his features that Hinata couldn’t comprehend, but before he could question it the other man continued. “And you said you had your lyrics pretty much done?”

“Yep! It’s right on the back of that sheet.”

Kageyama let out a little groan, probably disgusted at the prospect of Hinata writing things on the back of his sheet music that weren’t supposed to go there. But Hinata really couldn’t care less, he’d just rewrite all of his sheet music to be turned in anyway.

The dark-haired man was silent for a couple of moments, reading through Hinata’s lyrics. Hinata began to squirm due to the long silence, mind thinking that maybe Kageyama didn’t like the lyrics he had written. 

But then, the other man finally broke his silence. “When did you write this?”

“Um,” Hinata started, feeling like he should snatch the paper away from the blue, scrutinizing eyes. “I wrote some of the lyrics like a little over a year ago, but just finished writing everything out when we first got assigned the project. I haven’t really gotten the melody down or anything yet so if you don’t like it I can change some things.”

Kageyama was silent once again, but this time he was staring at Hinata.

“Uh, is it that bad?” Hinata finally asked.

Much to his surprise, the taller boy jumped and immediately started shaking his head. “No, no! It’s not bad… actually quite the opposite.” The admittance seemed to physically hurt Kageyama, his scowled deepening as he spoke. “I see what you meant when you said having a story for a song was better,” he said, looking away while he continued, “it definitely makes it easier to relate to the song.”

Hinata felt excitement rise up in him at the compliment. He leaned forward onto his hands as he beamed up to the other boy. “Really? You really think it’s good?”

The darker-haired man cleared his throat as a small blush dusted his cheeks. The sight of the awkward boy made him laugh happily, taking Kageyama’s silence as a begrudging yes. He leaned back as he chuckled and Kageyama cleared his throat again, regaining his composure. “Ahem, anyway, we’ve got two elements of your song pretty much done. If you’ve got an idea of how you want your song to sound, we can start going through some chord progressions for the guitar. That’s probably all we’re gonna be able to do, and then we can work on your percussions and bass next time, alright?”

“Okay!” Hinata agreed. He grabbed on his legs that were crossed in front of them and buzzed with excitement. He willed himself not to bounce where he sat, but he was just so happy to be working with a musician as talented as Kageyama. And based off of how their band practice had gone just before, Hinata could tell that the two of them worked really well together (as long as they weren’t arguing). 

Kageyama shifted to kneel in front of his bed. The man crawled forward, reaching underneath in search of something. His shirt rode up just a little and Hinata’s eyes immediately fell on the hard muscle of Kageyama’s abdomen. The muscles flexed as the other boy shifted. Hinata felt his entire face heat up as his eyes stayed on the sliver of creamy skin. The orange-haired boy didn’t know what was going on with his body. _I mean I know Kageyama isn’t ugly_ , he thought to himself, _but I never even thought he could be so attract–_

His thoughts were abruptly cut off as Kageyama moved to sit back down, lugging a long black case with him. As he settled back in front of Hinata, he looked back to the shorter boy.

Almost instantly, a look of confusion flashed on his face. “Why are you so red?” Kageyama asked.

An indignant squeak escaped Hinata’s lips as his hands flew up to his face. “Uh, I was trying to see how long I could hold my breath.” He knew it was a _terrible_ lie, but he hoped that Kageyama wouldn’t care too much about the answer to his inquiry.

The other man looked at him for a long while before he spoke. “Idiot,” was all he said in a deadpan. Hinata’s shoulders sagged in relief as Kageyama began unlocking the clips on the case. 

Ridding his mind of anything not music related, Hinata decided to focus on the large acoustic guitar as it was brought out from its case.

“Uwahhhh,” Hinata awed, “it’s so pretty!” The acoustic guitar was a deep black color with silver edges lining the body.

It was obviously Kageyama wasn’t very good at taking compliments as the man fidgeted with a strand of his bangs and mumbled a small, “Thanks.” He moved the guitar to rest on his leg under his arm. He strummed the strings lightly and seemed pleased with the tune. “Alright, can you like hum how you think the progression will go?”

Hinata nodded and began humming the notes he had thought up for the guitar. Once he finished humming the single progression, Kageyama immediately started strumming a pattern on his guitar. The sound was soft and Hinata felt hypnotized. He watched as long, slender fingers formed the chords of the frets to match Hinata’s humming perfectly. Kageyama strummed the chords four times over, switching it up a little at the fifth count, and then returning to the regular chord progression.

Once he was finished, Hinata couldn’t help but break out into loud applause. “That was perfect!” he exclaimed.

Blue eyes glared down at him, but even as Kageyama grumbled out, “Dumbass, it’s nowhere near perfect yet,” Hinata noticed the small blush that crept up the boy’s neck. He just let out a loud laugh as a joyous smile broke out on his face. _Kageyama definitely is fun to hang out with_ , he thought as they began to build the guitar element of Hinata’s song.

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> Alrighty, there we have it folks. Sorry if the ending was a little rushed, I just wanted to get the chapter out for y'all. I may come back and rewrite it if I somehow find time. I was literally SO EXCITED to write them singing Remember When, I love that song and I fell like it just WORKED for them. And I have chosen the songs that the boys are writing for their projects hehehe I’m gonna try and keep it a surprise


	8. We Are Young

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> Hope everyone had a happy Halloween (if you celebrate)! So sorry for the delay, but this chapter took me wayyy longer to write than I expected. But I’m so excited for y’all to read this chapter! I’ve had this part of the story in mind since I started writing this fic and I can’t believe it’s finally here. It’s quite long (like ~10k words OOF) and we’ve got a lot of singing lol, so I hope you enjoy it!
> 
> Also thank you for all the kudos and comments!! I can’t believe I started writing this story a month ago, now look at how far we’ve come. Much love <3

Hinata dropped his pencil onto his notebook and plopped backwards onto his mattress. His arms reached up to pillow underneath the back of his head as he stared up at his ceiling. He smiled to himself as soft piano music filtered through his earphones. The past few weeks had been almost surreal. He’d practiced with Take Flight! five days a week, working on songs with Tsukishima and rehearsing for the upcoming competition. He always had so much fun with the band, even if Tsukishima always made rude comments about Hinata’s hair or height or even his outfit for the day. Although, working with the blonde bassist wasn’t as bad as he had expected it to be, mainly because Yamaguchi was always there, too. Hinata noticed that whenever the brunette was around, Tsukishima’s jokes were less mean and more snarky in order to make the other man laugh.

Hinata shifted onto his side, careful not to crush his open notebook with his legs. He closed his eyes as a new song started, its low and soft notes vibrating in his head (A/N: Song is À l’ombre du figuier by Sominique Charpentier if anyone wants to know! Highly recommend giving it a listen). His mind wondered to his favorite parts of the past week, which seemed to all consist of his broody bandmate. He and Kageyama had been hanging out a lot recently. It had began with them just strictly working on their song projects together, meeting up before or after band practices and sometimes over the weekend. But without them realizing it, they both had become constants in each other’s routine. They’d have breakfast or lunch together a few times a week, would walk with each other to and from practices, and Kageyama had even come to watch Hinata perform at The Little Crow after practice on Fridays. It was fascinating how easily they had melded into each other’s lives. And, surprisingly, Hinata found he really enjoyed the black-haired man’s company, even if the two still argued with each other nearly every time they spoke.

Hinata’s favorite part about being with Kageyama, however, was when they made music. They had been working on some really good stuff for each other’s songs and were even able to record a good portion of Hinata’s. Kageyama had helped Hinata compose the instrumental for his project, and the other man then proceeded to perform all of the different parts for the song. It was amazing to see Kageyama’s talent right before his eyes as the man would perform the piece perfectly on one instrument, and then just pick up another and do it all over again. While he was awestruck, Hinata also felt a competitive urge to improve his skills as well. 

He felt his phone buzz next to him. Hinata reached over and brought the screen up to his face.

**From: Grumpy Face**

Coming now.

Hinata’s smile brightened as he hopped out of bed. He quickly threw his notebook onto his already cluttered desk and began gathering his things. He threw on a black waist coat before stuffing his keys, wallet, and phone into his pockets. After one last look around the room, Hinata slipped on his shoes and ran out of his dorm room.

Once outside of the building, he immediately spotted the singer.

“Kageyamaaa,” he shouted as he bounded over to the man.

Kageyama just nodded in greeting once Hinata reached him, his face slightly contorted with irritation. “C’mon, let’s go. Tsukishima’s being an impatient prick.”

The two began walking toward the middle of campus where they had agreed to meet Tsukishima and Yamaguchi. The roommates lived on the opposite side of campus, so they all thought it’d be best to find each other somewhere in the middle. As they walked toward the quad side by side, Hinata couldn’t contain his excitement. He was basically hopping with each step, his arms swinging in wide arcs.

“Oi, could you stop bumping into me you idiot,” Kageyama pressed with a small glare. While they still argued and yelled at each other, everything was done so now with less heat than when they had first met. 

Hinata smiled up to the taller man. “I’m just so excited,” he exclaimed as he raised his arms and jumped up into the air. “I’ve never gone to a Karaoke bar before!”

Kageyama grunted. “Yeah, me neither.”

Earlier in the week, Suga had suggested that they all do something fun together to take a much-needed break from the hustle of the past few weeks. When Suga brought up the idea of going to a Karaoke bar, Hinata agreed immediately. He’d never gone to one before, let alone with friends who enjoyed music just as much as him, and it always looked like so much fun on TV. Without needing much convincing, Suga decided that they would all go to karaoke Saturday night to just relax and have fun. Tsukishima had complained, saying how he didn’t see loud singing as being relaxing. But after Suga mentioned he could bring Yamaguchi along, there were no more comments from the blonde-haired man. 

Hinata and Kageyama continued walking in comfortable silence, arms brushing every now and then. The touches brought welcomed warmth in the chill of the early February night.

“Is Kozume coming?” Kageyama asked after a few minutes.

Hinata shook his head. “No, he texted saying he wasn’t feeling too good,” he replied. Once he found out the news, he had texted Kenma asking if he and his band wanted to join them. Kenma’s bandmates had seemed excited about the idea, but this morning the boy had texted Hinata saying he would be resting today to get rid of his slight fever. It bummed Hinata out immensely, but he knew Kenma’s health was more important. Plus, they could do this again some other time.

After another minute or so, they spotted Tsukishima and Yamaguchi.

“Yamaguchi!” Hinata cheered loudly. The boy looked up and smiled once he saw Hinata. 

“Ah, Hinata! How was your day today,” the brunette asked once they were all together. The group began making its way to the karaoke bar a few minutes away from campus. 

“It was great! I got to watch a few episodes of that show you told me about!”

Hinata heard the infamous click of Tsukishima’s tongue. “Shouldn’t you be using your free time to improve your grades?” the tall man asked with a haughty smirk.

“Hey! My grades are just fine!” Hinata exclaimed back.

Tsukishima rolled his eyes. “Right because barely passing your classes with C’s is just fine.”

Hinata crossed his arms with a huff. “At least my grades aren’t as bad as Bakageyama’s.”

“Oi!” Kageyama yelled at Hinata after being brought into the conversation. “What makes you think your grades are any better than mine.”

“I just know,” he replied with a challenging look.

“You’re an idiot,” Kageyama said with a slap to the back of Hinata’s head. Hinata just stuck his tongue out at Kageyama and moved closer to the brunette.

“Yamaguchi, are you excited for tonight?”

Yamaguchi looked down at Hinata with bright eyes. “Yeah! I’ve never gone to a Karaoke bar before.” He chuckled shyly as he continued, “Although Tsukki used to tell me all the time that I suck at singing.”

“What?!” Hinata squawked. “There’s no way! Your voice is so pretty when you’re just talking, I’m sure you’re great at singing, too!” Hinata looked over his shoulder to throw a glare at Tsukishima who was walking behind the two with Kageyama. Tsukishima noticed the look and squinted his eyes in irritated confusion. Hinata brought his attention back to the boy next to him. “Stupishima’s just a jerky jerk as always.”

Yamaguchi laughed lightly, bringing a hand up to cover his mouth. “He can be nice sometimes,” he offered lightly.

“Sure, only to you,” Hinata grumbled. He barely noticed the small flush that ghosted the other boys cheeks before the brunette shook his head.

“No, he’s nice to other people as well. I’m just around him most.”

Hinata stared up at the man, confused by the response. Did Yamaguchi really not realize how differently Tsukishima acted when he was around? Because it was pretty obvious to Hinata. He was about to say something about it when Yamaguchi spoke.

“Oh, yay! There it is!” he lightly cheered. 

Hinata looked in front of him and saw the bright neon sign of a microphone and music notes on a building across the street from them. The group walked down the crosswalk before entering.

As they walked through the door, Hinata’s entire body was engulfed by pleasant heat. The lobby was spacious, large couches adorning the waiting room. The entire space was lit with dim, red tinged light.

“Ah, there you guys are,” a sweet voice said from the side. Hinata turned his head and found Suga and Daichi standing up from a couch.

“Suga-san!” Hinata exclaimed as he pounced onto the man. Suga laughed as the two started wrestling with each other. 

“Alright, alright, that’s enough,” he heard a deep voice speak. The two paused their shenanigans to peer over at Daichi. The man had his hands placed on his hips, broad shoulders up straight as he stared down at the two. Hinata could see the adoration in the man’s chocolate eyes as he stared at the silver-haired man.

Suga chuckled as Hinata jumped off of his back. He reached out and ruffled his orange hair as he spoke. “Daichi and I already got a room, so let’s head in, shall we?”

Suga placed a slender hand on Daichi’s upper arm as the two led the group further into the building. They walked through a door and entered a long hallway. They passed numerous doors that led into separate rooms. They finally stopped in front of a door toward the end of the hall. Suga swiped a card into the door lock and pushed it open.

“Uwahhh,” Hinata awed as he walked into the room. It was larger than he expected, with an L-shaped couch tucked into one corner, a large armchair in the other, and a long coffee table in the middle of the room. The couches faced a large screen with numerous wireless microphones lined up on a side table.

Hinata slipped off his shoes and coat quickly before plopping onto the couch, spreading his body along the entire length of one side of the L.

He heard Yamaguchi chuckle at his antics as everyone else took off their things more leisurely. Hinata watched as Tsukishima and Yamaguchi took a seat on the other end of the couch.

“Oi,” a deep voice said from above him. He looked up and met blue eyes. “Sit up, you’re taking up too much space.”

Hinata sighed as he sat up. Before he could even shift fully out of the way, he felt Kageyama plop down next to him. He was smashed between the arm of the couch and Kageyama’s body, their sides pressed against each other from shoulder to thigh. Hinata looked up to Kageyama’s face, but the other man’s eyes were trained in front of him. He decided against saying anything, even thought there was plenty of room for the man to scoot over, opting to just nudge his shoulder into Kageyama’s side. Much to his surprise, he got a light nudge back. A small smile tugged at his lips.

“Okay! Everyone order whatever you want, Daichi and I will take care of it,” Suga chirped with a bright smile as he kneeled in front of the coffee table, facing the boys on the couch. Everyone chorused their appreciation before looking at the food and drink menus left for them in the room. After a few minutes, everyone had made their decisions and Suga input their orders into a small tablet.

With more effort than he anticipated (because of Bakageyama’s long body trapping him between the couch), Hinata hopped up. 

“I’m going to the bathroom,” he called out to the room.

“You don’t have to tell the whole world,” Tsukishima commented, prompting snickers from Yamaguchi at his side. Hinata shot the stupid, glasses-wearing blonde jerk a glare before popping out of the room. 

Once out in the hallway, he realized he didn’t actually know where the bathroom was. His shoulders slumped, as he found himself in a situation he was far too familiar with. He walked down the hall where they came from, figuring it was better to ask someone at the front for directions rather than getting lost for an hour.

He walked out the door and into the main room. However, he unexpectedly walked right into something. He knocked his head back, peering up to see the back of someone’s– a _very tall_ someone’s– head. The person Hinata had just bumped into looked over his shoulder. It took a second for the person to glance his gaze down, finally noticing the short boy.

“Ah, s-sorry,” Hinata squeaked out as he moved to walk around the man, but much to his misfortune, he ran into yet another body– this time, a man’s chest. Hinata looked up once more and found hazel eyes piercing into his. He looked behind him and saw the first person facing him as well, now sandwiched between two intimidating men.

Before he could scurry off, he heard a gasp from the side.

“It’s shrimpy!” A light voice called. Hinata whipped his head in the direction and found a man he recognized to be Oikawa coming his way.

The black-haired man he was currently sandwiched between spoke up. “You know this kid?” he asked Oikawa.

“Hey!” Hinata exclaimed before he could stop himself. “I’m not a kid!”

“You sure?” the strawberry-haired man behind him asked. “You don’t seem to be older than 15.”

Hinata crossed his arms over his chest, trying to puff up his shoulders. “I’m 20 for your information.”

The strawberry-haired man’s eyes widened slightly. “No way.”

“Makki, Mattsun! This here is Take Flight!’s newest member,” Oikawa spoke as he came up to them. Hinata finally noticed the other man behind Oikawa, who he remembered was Iwaizumi.

“No way,” the two droned in synch.

Iwaizumi finally stepped up to stand next to Oikawa, his thick arms crossed over his front. He sighed before he spoke, “Sorry for them. We never properly introduced ourselves before; I’m Iwaizumi Hajime, this shithead is Oikawa Tooru, that,” he said pointing to the black-haired man, “is Matsukawa Issei, and he’s Hanamaki Takahiro.” Hinata looked between the men, trying to catalog the new information.

“Ah, well, I’m Hinata Shouyou,” he offered.

Oikawa’s pointer finger tapped on his chin lightly as he hummed. “Hmm, Shou-chan it is,” the man declared.

“Eh??” Hinata exclaimed in confusion. “Shou-chan?” he repeated.

“As I said, shithead,” Iwaizumi muttered.

Oikawa gasped in dramatic offense. “Rude, Iwa-chan!” he exclaimed. He flicked a bit of hair that fell over his forehead. “Anyway, what are you doing here, shrimpy? Is my little Tobio-chan here, too?” The taller man must have seen something in Hinata’s expression because a smirk grew on his face. “He is, isn’t he. Take us to him, Shou-chan. We’d love to say hi.”

Hinata looked off to the side to not stare at the brown orbs peering at his face. “Ah, I don’t think that’s good idea…” he mumbled.  
“Makki, you want to see Tobio-chan right?” Oikawa asked abruptly.

Without missing a beat, Hanamaki replied. “Yes, I would love to see him. Issei?” he asked the other man.

“I would as well,” the black-haired man said with a firm nod.

“That settles it!” Oikawa cheered with a clap of his hands. “Lead the way, my little Shou-chan!”

Hinata sighed, realizing that he had no other choice. Even if he headed back to the room, they’d just follow him. “Fine, this way.”

They walked through the door and down the hall. He stopped in front of the door to their karaoke room, only hesitating a moment before he rapped on the door.

After a second, the door swung open to reveal a bright smile under silver hair. “Hina–!” Suga cut his sentence off as his eyes fell on the people standing behind Hinata.  
Hinata bowed his head, bringing his shoulders up as he tried to fold in on himself.  
“I’m sorry, they just followed me.”

Before Suga could reply, Oikawa cheered out a greeting. “Suga-chan! It’s so good to see you!” From inside the door, Hinata noticed Kageyama’s form on the couch stiffen at the sound. “We ran into your little Shou-chan out in the lobby and just _had_ to come say hi!”

Oikawa pushed past Hinata and Suga, walking into the room. Hanamaki and Matsukawa followed not far behind, acting right at home.

Hinata heard Iwaizumi sigh from behind him. “I’m really sorry about this Suga, you know how he is.”

Suga nodded. “It’s fine, really. I just hadn’t expected to see you all. Please, come in,” he offered. Iwaizumi nodded and walked into the room. Hinata still stood outside of the room, eyes focused on Kageyama. “Don’t worry,” Suga whispered to him. “Kageyama will be fine.”

Hinata looked up at the other man, seeing a genuine smile etched on his face. He wanted to thank the man until the day he died, but instead, he just nodded and moved into the room.

Suga went to sit on Daichi’s lap who was sat in the large armchair, and Hinata moved to sit back in his original spot. He looked at Kageyama, but the man’s head was bowed, hair blocking his eyes. He plopped down, body once again pressed up against Kageyama, but this time for a reason. Iwaizumi sat on Kageyama’s other side, next to him was Hanamaki, and then Matsukawa. The latter was currently reaching over to steal a couple of fries from Tsukishima’s plate, the blonde’s face painted with unmasked irritation at the intrusion.

Oikawa moved from his spot in front of the coffee table to talk to Suga. The two spoke in hushed voices, and Hinata decided this was going to be his only opportunity.

He nudged his thigh into Kageyama’s before leaning over slightly to whisper to him. “I’m sorry,” he started, “I really didn’t mean to bring them here.”

It took the man a moment before he sighed. His tense shoulders going slack once more as he glanced at Hinata finally. “It’s alright,” he grunted out. “This seems like something Oikawa-san would do.”

“You’re not mad?” Hinata questioned.

Kageyama shook his head, lifting it finally to look at Hinata. “I told you it’s fine, didn’t I?” he questioned with a bit of force.

Hinata just smiled, despite the harsh tone. He knew by now that Kageyama wasn’t actually irritated with him. Leaning forward, he snatched up a slider from one of the plates on the coffee table and began scarfing it down. His elbow hit Kageyama’s side and the man shoved back into him.

“Slow down, you oaf,” Tsukishima commented. “You even eat obnoxiously.”

A snort came from Matsukawa at the blonde’s side. “At least he eats. You eat like a mouse,” he snarked back. Tsukishima’s eyes widened as laughter bubbled out of Hanamaki. Hinata figures the blonde had never had someone else make sarcastic comments back at him before, and he let out a bark of laughter.

After a few minutes of eating, Oikawa began to stand up. “Shou-chan!” he called out to Hinata. “Since you’re new, let’s sing the first song!” Oikawa made his way to the tablet next to the microphones on the other side of the room. He looked up to Hinata, sending the boy a smirk. “I want to see what you’re made of.”

Hinata’s eyes widened, realizing he was getting singled out. He looked over to Suga, checking to make sure it would be okay as nervousness began to rise within him. Suga gave a single nod, and Hinata looked back to Oikawa. “Okay!” Hinata jumped from his seat and bounded over to the taller man. Once he got there, Oikawa held a microphone out to him. Hinata took it as Oikawa spoke.

“Let’s have a good time, shrimpy. You familiar with this song?”

Hinata looked at the tablet in Oikawa’s hands and jumped slightly when he saw the song. “Yeah! I really like that song!”

Oikawa gave a large smile. “Perfect,” he purred out. “Let the fun begin!”

The two moved to stand in front of the large screen where the lyrics would appear. As it turned on, the song began to play from the surround-sound speakers built into the room. As the percussion started, the first set of lyrics appeared along with a countdown. Oikawa took a step forward, bringing his mic up to his lips.

**Naked - Bickle ( **Bold** \- Oikawa, _Italics_ \- Hinata)**

**Life can be a drag**

**But you can drag it backwards**

**You clean yourself up after**

**You're done cryin**

Oikawa started singing the first verse, swaying his head side to side. He brought his pointer finger and dragged it down his cheek, mimicking a tear.

**Cause oh, even when you hate it**

**You know your favorite song**

**And dance like you are naked**

**So someone switch those speakers on**

He spread his arms out, moving his body and shaking his shoulders to the rhythm. Oikawa smoothed his unoccupied hand up his torso, then pointed to Hinata at the last line.

_You're trying to control it_

_But we both know you won’t_

_You'd rather eat a bullet_

_Than hear another note_

Hinata sang the second verse on cue. A large smile adorned on his face as he stared at Oikawa, both men dancing in place and swaying their hips. He walked closer to Oikawa, and as they sang together, they began to walk slowly around each other.

**Give in to the rhythm within _time wont stop it keeps on tickin_**

**_Give in to the rhythm within time wont stop it keeps on tickin_ **

**_Give in to the rhythm within time wont stop it keeps on tickin_ **

**_Give in to the rhythm within time wont stop it keeps on tickin_ **

There was a short instrumental of tinkling music, and the two men came to stand side-by-side, facing the others. Hinata glanced up and met Kageyama’s eyes as the chorus started up.

_Cause oh, even when you hate it_

**(Ah, hate it)**

_You know your favorite song_

**(Ah, naked)**

_And dance like you are naked_

_(Ah, hate it)_

_(Ah, naked)_

As they sang, Hinata joined Oikawa in a little side-step routine, one leg crossing in front of the other and then stepping out to the side.

**This song sucks turn it up this one too lets get nude**

_This song sucks turn it up this one too lets get nude_

After another short instrumental, Oikawa came to stand right in front of Hinata. The man was much taller than him, but they both stared into each other’s eyes with smiles on their faces. Oikawa sang the first line, and then Hinata echoed him. The other man then took his hand, and twirled him before they sang together.

**_Life can be a drag_ **

**_But you can drag it backwards_ **

**_You clean yourself up after you're done cryin_ **

_And_ **_oh-woah when there’s evil in your spirit_ **

**_You know all the lyrics_ **

**_Yeah each time you hear it_ **

**_You know all the words_ **

**_There’s no need to worry_ **

_There’s no need to-_

They both grunted with the song, Oikawa bringing a hand up and popping his chest out to the beat before they went into the chorus once more.

_Cause oh, even when you hate it_

**(Ah, hate it)**

_You know your favorite song_

**(Ah, naked)**

_And dance like you are naked_

Hinata let his body bounce and sway around with Oikawa, the two of them in synch. Hinata sang with passion, an excited grin on his face that matched the fire in Oikawa’s eyes.

**_Give in to the rhythm within time wont stop it keeps on tickin_ **

**_Give in to the rhythm within time wont stop it keeps on tickin_ **

**_Give in to the rhythm within time wont stop it keeps on tickin_ **

**_Give in to the rhythm within time wont stop it keeps on tickin_ **

By the end of the song, Hinata and Oikawa were lightly panting from their dancing and moving around.

Oikawa looked down at him, a small smile on his face. “I like this one Suga-chan,” he said before draping an arm around Hinata’s shoulder and pulling him in close. “Can I keep him?”

Hinata heard Kageyama make a noise. He saw the boy sat with his arms crossed over his chest, face scrunched in irritation.

“Ahh, Tobio-chan,” Oikawa started with a sly smile, “don’t be jealous. You’ve had your chance.”

Kageyama leaned forward in his seat and growled at the other man, a scary look passing over his face. Hinata cleared his throat, quickly trying to change the subject. “You were great Oikawa-san,” he cheered, jumping up in the man’s hold.

Oikawa flicked a piece of his hair away from his forehead. “I was, wasn’t I?” he said with a haughty expression. He then looked down at Hinata once more, bringing him close enough to see specks of gold in his warm brown eyes. “You’re quite good yourself, shrimpy.” Hinata felt a chill go down his spine at the expression on Oikawa’s face. While the man was, in fact, smiling, Hinata got the sense that it was dangerous.

“Alright, enough of that,” Matsukawa spoke as he and Hanamaki rose from the couch at the same time. The two walked around the table and approached Hinata and Oikawa.

“It’s our turn,” Hanamaki said, taking the mic from Hinata.

“Time to put on a real show,” Matsukawa droned with a smirk, taking the microphone from Oikawa.

Hinata moved back to the couch and squeezed himself into his spot next to Kageyama once more, leg bouncing from his previous excitement. The movement jostled Kageyama’s leg as well, but the man never said anything about it. Oikawa took the seat next to Iwaizumi as the two other men chose a song. They set themselves up, not even facing the screen where the lyrics were going to be displayed. A guitar played over the speakers when suddenly Hanamaki screamed into his microphone, causing Hinata to jump in his seat.

**Beachboy - McCafferty ( **Bold** \- Matsukawa, _Italics_ \- Hanamaki)**

_I swear to fucking god Chris, I'll turn this fucking car around  
Shut the fuck up_

As Hanamaki screamed the first lyrics, he bent down to dramatize the performance before snapping back up at the instrumental. He walked around Matsukawa who began to aggressively play an air-guitar. Hanamaki than stopped at Matsukawa’s side and faced the group as he sang the first verse.

_I don't get parties, or getting high  
I just get low, most of the time  
And I'll be there for you baby but I've got to have some room  
And you gotta keep your eyes on the new guys in the room  
_Hanamaki used his body and weird hand movements to act out the lyrics, as Matsukawa continued to strum at an imaginary guitar.

_And the way they dance is crazy, I have never seen this shit  
And the strobe light's way too hot so let's get this over with  
She says, "Your lips tasted like they did way back in July"  
Headaches and overdose, I hope that we never die_

Hinata laughed at the funny facial expressions Hanamaki made as he sang, treating the song like a theater performance. The two’s routine seemed rehearsed, as they moved around each other with practiced ease.  
 **October's always here, November's never leaves, December disappears**

**She says to me, _"Well, I dance so fast, so you've gotta dance real fast  
And my friends are all passed out in the back of my friend's van"_**  
 **_And she's got this sexy hair braid that goes over her forehead  
Lindsey, let me kiss your forehead_ **

Matsukawa finally sang a few lines, before the both of them shouted into their microphones together, banging their heads to the beat.

**And I know that you think that I don't care about all the friends that I left behind  
The ones who stay up late at night screaming about their shattered minds**  
 **I know that you think that I don't care about all the friends that I left behind  
The ones who stay up late at night screaming about their shattered minds, ** _hey!_

After Hanamaki’s exclamation of ‘hey!’, an instrumental followed. The two men swung their arms like they were dancing at a beach party in the 60’s or something. And then Hanamaki grabbed onto Matsukawa’s shoulder and leaned his head back as he sang.

_And she's on top of me and it is_ **_hot, hot, hot_ ** _  
She says, "Come on sweetheart, take 'em off"_  
 _So I will take 'em off, and then we take 'em off  
And then her dad walks in - oh shit, her dad walks in_

Hanamaki fanned himself as he and Matsukawa shouted the lyrics. Hanamaki’s eyes momentarily widened, his body straightening as he acted like he just got caught in the act, before he and Matsukawa began banging their heads and jumping around once more.

**She says to _dance really fast, "Cause I like to dance real fast"  
"And my friends are all passed out in the back of my friend's van"  
And she's got this sexy hair braid that goes over her forehead  
Lindsey, let me kiss your forehead_**

Oikawa stood up and began clapping to the beat, dancing with the two very energetic men as they performed. 

**And I know that you think that I don't care about all the friends I left behind  
The one's who stay up late at night screaming about their shattered minds  
I know that you think that I don't care about all the friends that I left behind  
The one's who stay up late at night screaming about their shattered minds**

As Matsukawa sang, Hanamaki grabbed Oikawa’s wrist and brought him to the front with them. An instrumental followed where Oikawa and Hanamaki danced together, pulling and pushing each other. The strawberry-haired man spun Oikawa, who then took his leave, walking back to plop down next to Iwaizumi as Hanamaki began singing again.

_It's always a head game with you Nick  
You've never had a shot at any of this  
So just smash your guitar  
Smash your dreams_  
 _Grow up now is just what I mean_

Matsukawa began aggressively smashing his invisible guitar into the ground, before standing back up and wiping his forehead in feigned exhaustion. He brought his microphone back up, a smirk playing at his lips as he stared at Hanamaki.

**Its always a head case with you Nick  
You've never had a shot at any of this  
So just smash your guitar  
Smash your dreams**  
 **Grow up now is just what I mean, oh**  
As the music slowed down, Hanamaki and Matsukawa faced each other, taking turns singing the last few lyrics before they sang together once more.

**Grow up now is just what I mean**  
 _Grow up now is just what I mean_  
 **Grow up now is just what I mean**  
 **_Grow up now is just what I mean_ **

_Oh, fuck_

After Hanamaki’s curse, he bowed and Matsukawa curtsied, pulling at a fake skirt.

Hinata found himself clapping enthusiastically at the performance, a large smile on his face. He even heard a low bout of chuckles coming from Iwaizumi. Hanamaki and Matsukawa laughed together, the black-haired man slinging an arm around the other’s shoulder as the walked back to the couch.

Matsukawa fell onto the last seat of the couch as Hanamaki took a seat on the floor in front of the Matsukawa’s legs, the black-haired man bumping his shoulder into Tsukishima’s. The poor bassist looked like he was about to have an aneurysm, his fingers pinching at the bridge of his nose. 

The hilarious display had gotten Hinata pumped, and he was practically bouncing up and down in his seat as he turned to Kageyama. 

He tugged onto the sleeve of the man’s shirt. “C’mon, Kageyama, let’s do one together!”

Without giving him a chance to decline, he grabbed onto the man’s hand and pulled him off of the couch. He dragged the taller man over to the screen where the song catalog was displayed.

Hinata turned to Kageyama. “What’s a good song?”

“I don’t know,” Kageyama grumbled with an irritated tone. He crossed his arms and sent Hinata a glare. “Just hurry up and choose, idiot.”

Hinata maturely stuck his tongue out at Kageyama, causing the man to squint his eyes even more. He turned back to the too large selection, when his eyes fell on a title he recognized.

“Oooh! Here’s a good one! You know it?”

Kageyama looked at the song displayed on the small screen and just shrugged his shoulders. “Yeah, that’s fine I guess,” he muttered.

Hinata sighed at his friend’s usual grumpiness and walked in front of the screen. Kageyama followed as the song started up, the peppy beat picking Hinata’s mood back up and causing him to bop along to the music.

**Animal - Neon Trees ( **Bold** \- Kageyama, _Italics_ \- Hinata**

_Here we go again_

_I kinda wanna be more than friends_

_So take it easy on me_

_I'm afraid you're never satisfied_

Hinata tapped his foot to the music, a smirk playing at his lips as he got into character for the song.

_Here we go again_

_We're sick like animals_

_We play pretend_

_You're just a cannibal_

_And I'm afraid I won't get out alive_

_No, I won't sleep tonight_

Hinata shook his head at the last line. He then jumped when the beat dropped and began singing the chorus with enthusiasm.

_Oh, oh_

_I want some more_

_Oh, oh_

_What are you waitin' for?_

Hinata pointed to Kageyama, and the man rolled his eyes, but Hinata noticed the slight lift of his lips. Hinata placed a hand over his heart, dancing and swaying as he continued to sing.

_Take a bite of my heart tonight_

_Oh, oh_

_I want some more_

_Oh, oh_

_What are you waitin' for?_

_What are you waitin' for?_

_Say goodbye to my heart tonight_

Hinata hit an imaginary drum set as Kageyama started the second verse. He could see the other man getting into the song more, his expression picking up as his hips started to sway with the music.

**Here we are again**

**I feel the chemicals kickin' in**

**It's gettin' heavier**

**I wanna run and hide**

**I wanna run and hide**

_I do it every time_

_You're killin' me now_

_And I won't be denied by you_

_The animal inside of you_

Hinata bent over as he belted the pre-chorus, straightening up and pointing at Kageyama as he sang the lyrics to him. The two of them building off of each other’s energy as they entered the chorus.

**_Oh, oh_ **

**_I want some more_ **

**_Oh, oh_ **

**_What are you waitin' for?_ **

**_Take a bite of my heart tonight_ **

Hinata and Kageyama moved closer to each other. He could feel his cheeks starting to hurt from how big he was smiling. It was always so much fun singing with Kageyama. As blue eyes stared into his, he felt like they were the only two people in the room.

**_Oh, oh_ **

**_I want some more_ **

**_Oh, oh_ **

**_What are you waitin' for?_ **

**_What are you waitin' for?_ **

**_Say goodbye to my heart tonight_ **

The two slowly took steps backwards, moving away from each other. Kageyama’s gaze never left Hinata as he continued to sing, and the two turned to face the others.

**Hush, hush, the world is quiet** _(oh)_

**Hush, hush we both can't fight it** _(oh-oh)_

**It's us that made this mess**

**Why can't you understand?**

Hinata bent over slightly once more as he belted the lyrics, giving his everything into their little performance.

_Whoa, I won't sleep tonight_

_I won't sleep tonight_

When he looked up, he saw Kageyama was smiling, too, now. Like _actually_ smiling and Hinata felt slightly light-headed, and not just because of that run he just did.

**Here we go again** _(here we go again)_

**Oh, oh**

**I want some more**

**Oh, oh**

**_What are_ _you waitin' for?_**

**Take a bite of my heart tonight**

After letting Kageyama sing one part by himself, Hinata joined in. Their voices harmonized just like they always did in practice. Hinata couldn’t believe how perfect they sounded to his ears, as if they were made to sing with each other.

**_Oh, oh_ **

**_I want some more_ **

**_Oh, oh_ **

**_What are you waitin' for?_ **

**_What are you waitin' for?_ **

**_What are you waitin'_ **

There was a short instrumental as the Hinata gravitated toward Kageyama once more. The echoed lyrics together, easily coming face to face once more to sing the last part of the song.

**Take a bite of my heart tonight**

**_Oh, oh_ **

**_I want some more_ **

**_Oh, oh_ **

**_What are you waitin' for?_ **

**_What are you waitin' for?_ **

**_Say goodbye to my heart tonight_ **

As the song faded out, Hinata lowered his mic and found that both he and Kageyama were out of breath. They stared at each other for a moment, chests heaving in rhythm before they heard someone clapping. Hinata broke the eye contact, looking over his shoulder to see Suga standing from his perch on Daichi’s lap. A bright smile adorned his face as he cheered.

“That was so good!” The silver-haired man moved forward. “Oikawa! Sing one with me?”

Hinata took that as their time to leave, so he moved back to the couch. He sat down, Kageyama following suit. Once they sat, he heard a hand clap hard onto Kageyama’s back. He turned to see Iwaizumi leaning over to Kageyama, a small smile on his face as he spoke.

“I’ve never seen you sing like that before,” the man said with a low chuckle. Hinata watched as Kageyama's cheeks flooded with red, and Hinata found himself laughing as well. Despite his obvious embarrassment, Kageyama still found it within himself to send Hinata a death glare, which Hinata returned with a large smile.

Slowly, Kageyama’s gaze softened, returning to a relaxed expression. The dark-haired man turned his gaze forward, but Hinata felt a slight nudge on his thigh and he giddily returned the small pressure.

* * *

“You know I would love to, my darling angel,” Oikawa called out to Suga as he moved off of the couch and walked up to him. He draped himself over Suga’s shoulders, his long arms encompassing the smaller man. 

“You better watch your hands, Oikawa,” a deep voice called out. Oikawa looked up to the man seated in the large armchair, a strained smile on his face. He was all too familiar with the death smile of Sawamura Daichi.

“Ah, so scary Dai-chan,” Oikawa chastised, a smirk playing at his lips. “It’s kinda hot,” he said with a wink. Suga chuckled lightly as he flicked Oikawa’s forehead, causing him to remove himself from the other man. 

Oikawa turned to look at the other couch, his eyes falling on his prey. “I want to sing with the other cutie over there,” he said as he pointed to Yamaguchi.

The brunette’s entire face flushed bright red, his eyes frantically looking to the blonde bassist for support. Tsukishima’s eyes squinted with suspicion as he glanced in Oikawa’s direction.

Yamaguchi stuttered slightly, fidgeting with his fingers in his lap. “Um, I’m not actually a part of a band or anything.”

“Aw don’t worry my little Yama-chan,” Oikawa said as he walked up to the brunette. He offered a hand to the boy. “I won’t bite.” Yamaguchi hesitantly took his hand and Oikawa immediately dragged him up from the couch. He leaned in closer, a smirk playing on his lips. His eyes locked onto hazel ones behind glasses as he whispered to the brunette, “Unless you want me to.”

He watched as anger darkened the blondes expression, and Oikawa threw his head back in light laughter. It was fun playing with the usually stoic bassist and his little puppy.

He pulled back and winked at Yamaguchi, causing the man to blush once more before he dragged him over to the screen where Suga was currently looking at the songs.

Oikawa went up behind the guitarist, placing his chin on the man’s shoulder to peer at the screen.

“Have you chosen a song, Suga-chan?”

Suga hummed beneath him before speaking. “How do you feel about this?” Suga asked as he pointed at the screen. 

Oikawa perked up. “Ah! That’s perfect! Just like you my little angel,” he said as he placed a gentle peck to the back of the man’s head. Suga chuckled as he turned to Yamaguchi.

“Do you know this song, Yamaguchi-kun?”

The brunette sidled up to the two and peered over at the screen.

“Ah,” he started, a smile coming to his face, “yeah I actually really like this song.”

“Beautiful!” Oikawa exclaimed. He snatched up a microphone, and dragged Suga by his hand to the front of the screen.

Before the music could even start playing, a countdown appeared on the screen with the first set of lyrics. Oikawa glanced to Suga, who nodded as the countdown finally reached one.

**Hi, It’s Me - Ashnikko ( **Bold** \- Oikawa, _Italics_ \- Suga,  Underline \- Yamaguchi)**

_Ugh_ , **when I'm with you I have amnesia, got me without a mind**

**My stupid brain thinks that I need you, misleads me all the time**

**It's like I need a babysitter, someone to come and get me**

**'Cause I forget the crazy shit, the littlest things impress me**

**Mediocre in the bed, my bestie would never let me**

Suga started the song off with a frustrated groan, and then Oikawa followed with the first verse. He started to sway his hips as the beat picked up slightly.

_Uh, I did it again_

_I slip up, I text you, I forget_

_That you were so, so disrespectful_

_I did what I said that I wouldn't_

_Why am I a sucker for a fuckboy's freckles?_

Suga sang the next part, acting like he was distressed. He looked to Oikawa as he sang the last question.

**Hi, it's me, back again**

**Here to remind you that he's not worth it**

**Hi, it's me, your best friend**

**Take his old t-shirt off and burn it**

Oikawa came up to Suga and slung an arm over his shoulders, singing the chorus to the man.

_Repeat after me, "I'm over it"_

_Yeah we're so over, over_

_Repeat after me, "I'm over it"_

_Yeah, we're so over, over_

**_Hi, it's me back again_ **

**_Here to remind you that he's not worth it_ **

**_Hi, it's me, your best friend_ **

**_Take his old t-shirt off and burn it_ **

He and Suga sang together, both coming up behind Yamaguchi to sing the lyrics to him. The brunette hesitantly brought the mic up to his lips as he started the next verse.

When I'm with you I have amnesia, I'm weaker than before

My stupid brain thinks that I need you, I'm eager to hurt more

My best friend thinks that I'm a dumbass

My dumbass should be a little more cautious

'Cause I can't believe I say that I won't do it

Then I do it and make myself sick, I make myself nauseous ( **Urgh** _)_

Yamaguchi started off nervously, but after a few lines, Oikawa saw him start to smile, swaying with the beat as he became more confident.

_I slip up, I text you, I forget_

_That you were so so disrespectful_

_I did what I said that I wouldn't_

_Why am I such a sucker for a fuckboy's freckles?_

**Hi, it's me, back again**

**Here to remind you that he's not worth it**

**Hi, it's me, your best friend**

**Take his old t-shirt off and burn it**

Oikawa did a little wave as he walked up to Suga, placing a comforting hand on his shoulder. He then moved on to Yamaguchi, picking at the shirt the boy was wearing and waving him off with the lyrics. 

Repeat after me "I'm over it"

Yeah we're so over, over

Repeat after me "I'm over it"

Yeah, we're so over, over

All three of them sang the chorus together. They were dancing around each other, getting into the song as they sang to the others in the room.

**_Hi, it's me, back again_ **

**_Here to remind you that he's not worth it_ **

**_Hi, it's me, your best friend_ **

**_Take his old t-shirt off and burn it_ **

Repeat after me "I'm over it"

Yeah we're so over, over

Repeat after me "I'm over it"

Yeah, we're so over, over

Suga then started singing the next part by himself, acting out the lyrics with enthusiasm.

_Someone hold me back or I'll run a fucking marathon_

_I'm crazy now, crying, "Where the hell has my mascara gone?"_

_I say no more, it's over, it's all about me and what I want_

_But you find me, 5AM its booty call at the Marriott_

Oikawa jumped onto the coffee table. He pointed down to Iwaizumi as he sang the lyrics. He swayed his hips has he dropped into a squat, then slid a hand up his thigh as he stood back up while circling his hips.

**Nobody's trophy wife, yeah I'm nobody's baby doll**

**I'm single now let me drunk dance on the tabletop**

**Let me be wild now, just let me be hysterical**

**Old me is dead and gone, I just went and buried her, like**

As Yamaguchi sang the first part of the chorus, Oikawa sent a wink to a wide-eyed Iwaizumi before hopping off of the table.

Hi, it's me, back again

Here to remind you that he's not worth it

He returned to the others as Yamaguchi and Suga leaned against each other, singing.

_Hi, it's me, your best friend_

_Take his old t-shirt off and burn it_

They all sang together once more as the last part of the song came

**_Repeat after me "I'm over it"_ **

**_Yeah we're so over, over_ **

**_Repeat after me "I'm over it"_ **

**_Yeah, we're so over, over_ **

Once the song finished, the room erupted in cheers as Hanamaki and Matsukawa whistled loud catcalls and Hinata clapped excitedly. 

The three men turned to each other and gave enthusiastic high-fives before returning to their seats. Oikawa sat back down on the couch before turning to the man at his side.

“So, how was that Iwa-chan?”

Iwaiumi shrugged. “You were a little pitchy.”

He gasped, a hand flying up to his chest. “How rude, Iwa-chan.”

The man beside him chuckled as he raised a hand, letting it plop onto Oikawa’s head to lightly rub at his hair. “You know it was great, as always,” the man said affectionately.

Oikawa looked at his best friend, as a small, serene smile adorned the other man’s face. He found himself smiling back as they stared at each other for a moment. Oikawa always loved how pretty Iwaizumi’s eyes were. He had been jealous of the green color when he was younger, but now he just loved them for the way they looked on Iwaizumi. But then the man removed his hand and looked away with a small sigh.

“Um, I actually have to go,” Iwaizumi said softly.

“Huh? Why?” Oikawa asked as confusion swept over his features.

Iwaizumi didn’t meet his eyes as he spoke. “I’m meeting up with someone.”

The taller man felt his chest constrict, but he didn’t let anything show on his face. “Oh,” he breathed out. He continued to look at the side of Iwaizumi’s face. “Koharu-san?”

The man nodded. Oikawa gulped audibly, finally looking away as he became unsure of what to say.

Then Matsukawa chimed in. “I’m surprised you’re seeing her again Iwaizumi.”

Hanamaki chuckled as he spoke as well. “Yeah, y’know if you keep seeing her she’ll start to think you’re dating.”

The two men laughed to each other as a disgusted expression found its way onto Iwaizumi’s face. 

“Yeah, right,” Iwaizumi muttered as he got up from his spot. “Whatever, I’ll see you goons later. Don’t cause too much trouble.”

Matsukawa looked up to the man with a smirk, “You know we will.”

Iwaizumi rolled his eyes, but a mischievous smile adorned his lips. He looked down at Oikawa. “Don’t stay up too late tonight, alright,” he said as he gave another pat on the brunette’s head. 

Oikawa forced a small smile onto his face with a roll of his own eyes. “Sure, mom.” At the comment, Iwaizumi gave a small flick to his forehead. Without saying anything else, the man moved away, saying his goodbyes to the others before stepping out of the karaoke room.

He let his gaze fall to his clasped hands in his lap. He began picking at the dark blue nail polish on his nails, trying to distract himself from thinking too much about what Iwaizumi was about to do.

Hanamaki must have noticed the blankness of Oikawa’s expression as he heard the man speak. “Hey, you know we were just joking around,” his strawberry-haired best friend offered in a gentle whisper. 

Oikawa just shook his head, willing a believable smile to his face. “It’s fine! Don’t worry about it.” He turned to the man sat across the room. “Suga-chan! Why don’t you sing a song with your hubby over there.”

The silver-haired man chuckled into his hand, but Oikawa could read the expression in Suga’s eyes. They were filled with questioning concern, and Oikawa just lightly shook his head. With that, Suga turned to Daichi. The two got up from their seat and went to choose a song.

Oikawa scooted over closer to Hanamaki who was now sitting next to Matsukawa. He grabbed onto the man’s hand and the two entwined their fingers together easily. The taller man curled into Hanamaki’s side, resting his head onto the man’s shoulder. He felt a squeeze on his hand and sent a small squeeze back. He knew he’d have to talk to Hanamaki about Iwaizumi soon, but right now, he didn’t think he’d be able to handle the hurt it would bring to his heart. So he focused all his attention to the fingers between his, trying not to think about how they didn’t belong to the person he actually wanted to hold hands with.

* * *

“Kuro, I got imposter.”

Kuroo looked up from his phone, seeing Kenma looking at him. He climbed out of the boy’s bed to stand behind him.

They had all been invited to karaoke with Take Flight!, but Kenma claimed to not be feeling well this morning, so they decided not to go. While Kuroo knew Kenma was lying and just didn’t want to go, he never mentioned it. So, he had been at Kenma’s for a few hours now, watching the boy stream himself playing Among Us with his online friends. Meanwhile, Akaashi and Bokuto had taken the free night to go on a little date.

Kuroo only found the game interesting when Kenma got imposter, so the boy would let him know when he’d gotten it. It was really fun to see Kenma get away with murder, his monotonous voice making it hard to tell when the boy was lying. 

Kenma’s viewers also always seemed to get excited whenever Kuroo came into frame, the chat on Kenma’s second monitor lighting up with rapid-fire messages. He tried his best to read the chat while the blonde boy played.

“Shinigami_25 said I should put the cat ears on you, Ken,” Kuroo said. He saw Kenma in the little square on the screen as he made a disgusted face, and Kuroo let out a bark of laughter.

“This isn’t a fan-service,” Kenma muttered as he sabotaged lights. 

Kuroo bent down, letting his face become level with Kenma’s as he stared into the webcam. “Oh, but it could be,” he purred with a wink. Suddenly, a sound chimed as a donation was made and a voice read out the message.

“Please Kuroo PUNCH ME IN THE FACE,” the robot voice awkwardly read out, and Kuroo threw his head back in another bout of laughter. 

“Kuro, please stop stealing my viewers,” Kenma droned, making a kill in coms before walking out and venting up to navigation. Kuroo sat on his knees, leaning his hand on the armrest of Kenma’s large gaming chair. Only the top of his head was visible to Kenma's webcam.

“Ah, that was a good kill, kitten,” Kuroo congratulated. He heard Kenma sigh as his player in the game moved toward med-bay.

“Please don’t call me that Kuroo,” he said, cat-like eyes glancing down to Kuroo briefly. “Especially not when I’m live.”

Kuroo took that chance to look at the chat. As if the blonde had expected it, the chat was filled with comments of how cute the two were together, Kuroo having a cute nickname for Kenma, and how the two _must_ be dating.

To stoke the fire, Kuroo sat up a little higher and looked directly into the camera as he spoke. “Ah, Ken is cute, isn’t he?”

Just then, Kenma made the final kill and a black screen with the word “Victory” appeared. Kenma groaned, bringing a hand up to pinch the bridge of his nose. 

“Alright,” he started, looking into the webcam as he spoke, “everyone say goodbye to Kuroo, he’s gotta go home now.”

“What?!” Kuroo exclaimed. “Ken that’s so cruel! Don’t make me leave!”

The blonde boy looked down at him with indifference. Kuroo did his best impression of Oikawa’s puppy dog eyes he could muster, and it must have worked because, after a few seconds, Kenma just rolled his eyes.

“Whatever, fine you can stay.” Kuroo threw his arms up and whooped. “But only because my chat likes you,” the boy mumbled. The black-haired man chuckled before getting up from his spot on the ground. His back was starting to get sore and the carpet was not comfortable on his knees. As he was about to lay back down onto the bed, Kenma swiveled his chair toward him. 

“Do you wanna play a round?” Kenma asked holding his headphones out to him.

Kuroo’s eyes widened. “Really?”

Kenma shrugged his shoulders and cast his eyes to the side. “Yeah, my eyes are getting kind of tired so I need a little break.”

Kuroo smiled widely, as he gently took the headphones from the boy. Kenma stood from the chair, allowing Kuroo to plop down onto it. He placed the headphones on his head and unmuted himself.

“Oya, oya, oya,” he said into the headset. Cheers erupted from the discord lobby as Kenma’s online friends greeted Kuroo. He chuckled as he looked back at Kenma who sat on his bed, quietly watching Kuroo play. “Ken, you gotta coach me, I don’t know how to play this.”

Kenma just shrugged his shoulders, hands stuffed into the pocket of Kuroo’s large red hoodie the smaller boy was wearing. “It’s easy, you’ll figure it out.”

“You wound me, Kenma,” he said dramatically with a hand pressed to his heart. He looked back to the monitor just as the screen that told him he was a crewmate appeared. He made sure he was muted in the discord before speaking to Kenma’s viewers.

“Alright, since Kenma’s not gonna be any help, you guys are gonna have to help me out here, alright?” The chat erupted with responses of excited agreements and wishes of good luck. He moved away from the round table in the cafeteria toward the right. He noticed the large chair in the middle of weapons glow yellow, so he clicked it. He realized he probably should have paid more attention when Kenma had been playing as a crewmate, but he figured the tasks wouldn’t to too hard to figure out. Kuroo quickly figured out that he had to tap on the flying asteroids as they passed.

Once the task was finished, the little screen disappeared. However, right when that happened, he saw dark green come out of the vent at the top of his screen. He froze, his eyes trained on the player now in the room with him. The two of them stared at each other for a long pause before green moved toward him. 

Kuroo shrieked, quickly trying to get out the way. He went down through the halls, past navigation and O2 down to coms. He could see dark green at the edge of his vision chasing after him.

“Kyanma!” he shrieked. He was fully panicking now and had no clue what to do. “What am I supposed to do?! I don’t know what to do!” Instead of helping him out, he heard peals of laughter from the bed behind him.

Kuroo ran up into cafeteria and began running around the tables, trying to get rid of the imposter, but unable to shake him off.

And then, an animation of his yellow character getting shot in the head by the dark green character appeared. He died. 

Kuroo let out a long groan, running his hands over his face in frustration. “I’m done. I’m never playing this game again,” he grumbled as Kenma continued to laugh hysterically.

“That’s gonna be all over the internet by tomorrow!” Kenma cried out between his wheezes. 

He sent a half-assed glare to his best friend, but his gaze softened at the euphoric expression on the smaller man’s face.

Kuroo sighed in defeat. “Please just come finish the game for me,” he whined. 

Kenma chuckled as he climbed off of the bed. “Yeah yeah, move you dummy.”

They traded spots once more, Kuroo going to lay on the boy’s bed. Once settled in, he stared at the side of Kenma’s face for a bit. The boy went back to playing the game easily, but Kuroo didn’t miss the way his lips were still tilted up at the corners. He smiled to himself before pulling his phone out once more, deciding to quietly scroll through whatever social media was active at the moment while Kenma played.

Kuroo realized he must have fallen asleep at some point to the sound of Kenma’s calming voice talking to his viewers and friends, as he was woken up in the middle of the night by the feeling of something pressed up against his chest. The room was completely dark, and it took him a moment to figure out it was Kenma curled up against him. The boy must have just finished his stream and decided to come to bed. Kuroo felt a large grin spread on his face as he slung an arm over the boy, pulling him closer into his chest. He buried his face into the top of Kenma’s head and let out a content sigh before drifting off to sleep once more.

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> Thank you all for reading! Hope you enjoyed this chapter :) Kudos and comments are very much appreciated!!
> 
> See y'all with the next chapter this weekend!


	9. Find What You're Looking For

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> Look at me posting on time for once bahahaha. Oooo things are starting to roll. Sorry it’s taken so long for the actual plot to start but we’re getting to the good stuff soon! I hope you’re all enjoying this story so far and I want to thank all of you who’ve decided to give it a read :)

Kuroo’s back hit the bed, a grunt escaping his lips. He spread his arms wide as he watched the broader man approach. The scent of cologne filled his senses, wafting from the sheets beneath him. He inhaled deeply, his nerves calming instantly, and he melted into the mattress with a content sigh.

“You have the best bed, Bo,” Kuroo groaned out through a stretch, spreading his long limbs further across the bed. Bokuto chuckled, finally coming to flop down onto the mattress as well, causing Kuroo to bounce a little.

“I know right. It’s all thanks to Akaashi’s incredible decision-making skills,” Bokuto spoke with a bright smile.

Kuroo looked at the man beside him, watching the lovestruck features of his face. He wondered if he looked like that when he thought about Kenma. He turned his gaze away, going back to staring up at the ceiling.

It had been a few weeks since that night he slept over Kenma’s, and his feelings had only gotten more suffocating. He felt he was going insane with how intensely his emotions would hit him without being able to act on them. Every time Kenma just so much as looked at him, his body caught fire. He would forget how to breathe at just the sight of the smaller man, and it definitely was not good for his health with how often the two were together. He had to do something and _soon_ or else he would surely die of combustion.

Kuroo sighed softly, still not looking at Bokuto as he spoke. “I don’t now what to do,” he whispered. He heard the sheets rustle and figured Bokuto had turned his head to look at him. “It’s been getting worse recently,” he began to explain without any further prompting. “I can’t do anything without thinking about him. Literally _anything_ I do, and he’s right there in my mind. All I see are hazel cat eyes and soft lips whenever I’m in class, eating, tuning my guitar, studying, listening to music, laying in bed–” he stopped, cutting off his own rambling off with an exasperated groan.

“Wow, you’ve got it bad,” Bokuto offered.

Kuroo ran a hand down his face with a sigh. “Gee, thanks, Captain Obvious. I am forever grateful for your ever vacuous advice,” he deadpanned, finally turning his head to look back at the owlish man.

“Alright,” Bokuto started, giving his best glare, “if you’re going to use a word like that at least give me some more context clues.”

“Oh, I’m sorry, I wasn’t aware that I had to provide a dictionary every time I conversed with someone,” he responded sassily.

“Dude, if you don’t stop being an ass I’m gonna go get Akaashi to help you instead.”

Kuroo groaned for the umpteenth time. “Don’t. I’m sorry,” he said genuinely. “You know I love you. I’ve just been so stressed out lately.” He looked into comforting golden orbs, feeling his frustrations bubble up in his chest. “It physically pains me to suppress my feelings now, I can’t ignore them anymore.”

Bokuto stared at him, face solid with seriousness. “Then don’t,” he stated simply. “You of all people should know that Kenma is not the type of person to act on things like this.” Kuroo shifted his entire body to face Bokuto, laying on his side as the black- and white-haired man continued. “If Kenma reciprocates your feelings, he definitely would not tell you.”

Hearing Bokuto say all of this out loud made the situation seem easier than it actually was. He knew this, knew how Kenma was, yet he still had doubts floating around in his mind.

“I know,” Kuroo muttered, “but still.” He paused as he thought about his words carefully. “We’re still the same, like we’re _just_ childhood friends. It’s confusing because we do things that have just become so familiar to us overtime, so I can’t tell what he’s thinking.”

Bokuto breathed out a gentle laugh. “Well, it’s a good thing you can actually _speak_ instead of trying to read each other’s minds.” He looked directly into Kuroo’s eyes, bright with openness and a slight spark of determination. “If it’s getting to the point where you can’t ignore your feelings anymore, then do something. You and Kenma have gone through a lot together, and even if theres a _very slim–,_ ” Bokuto said, emphasizing the phrase by pinching his thumb and pointer finger together and squinting his eyes, “–chance that he doesn’t feel the same way, it wouldn’t change anything between you two.”

They fell silent as Kuroo contemplated what Bokuto had just said, flipping the last comment around in his mind. If Kenma didn’t like– no, _love_ him back, what could possibly go wrong? They'd known each other for so long, been best friends for so long. He knew that Kenma couldn't live without him just as much as he couldn't live without Kenma. So even if he confessed to him and the boy unfortunately rejected his feelings, it's not like they'd stop being friends. Kuroo knew he would love Kenma forever no matter what, so he'd have the man anyway Kenma wanted. And if that was as just friends, he could live with that as long as Kenma stayed in his life.

“You’re right,” he said suddenly, resolve flowing through his veins. He sat up, running different possibilities in his mind like he was solving an analytical problem. “Best case scenario, I get a boyfriend. Worst case, nothing changes?” Kuroo explained, looking down at Bokuto for confirmation.

Bokuto nodded, a huge smile on his face. He sat up as well as he spoke. “Nothing changes.”

Kuroo sighed, stress slowly untying in his body to leave excited relief in its wake. He surged forward, pulling the large man into a tight hug.

He hurried his face into Bokuto’s warm neck. “Love you, Bo,” he whispered.

The other man’s arms squeezed briefly. “Love you, too, Kuroo.”

They stayed like that for a beat longer before they both slowly pulled away. Bokuto gave him a solid pat between his shoulder blades, both of them chuckling lightheartedly.

“Thanks for your help,” Kuroo offered honestly.

“Of course, anything for my best friend,” Bokuto responded, his smile brightening. “C’mon, let’s go back out there. I miss Akaashi,” the man added, promptly hopping up from the bed.

Kuroo shook his head, but a large grin played at his lips. The two men left the room, making their way into the living room of their apartment. They moved around the couch where Akaashi and Kenma sat, both engrossed in their own things. Bokuto plopped onto the couch between the two, wrapping an arm over Akaashi’s shoulders who was currently tapping on his laptop.

Without looking up from his work, he addressed them. “You two were in there a while.”

Kuroo sat on the floor next to the couch, spreading his legs underneath the coffee table. A sly smirk adorned his lips as he responded. “Yeah, well, you of all people should know how hard it is to pull away from Bo when he’s doing such _wondrous_ things with his tongue.”

Akaashi looked up from his computer, shooting Kuroo a tired glare. He joked about sexual advances with Bokuto quite often, even though he’d never instigate the man to cheat on Akaashi in any way. But even so, it was amusing.

Bokuto squawked, throwing his arms around Akaashi to cling tighter to him. “No!” the man exclaimed, squeezing his eyes shut. “‘Kaaashiii,” he whined, burying his face into the man’s hair. “I swear I didn’t make out with Kuroo!”

Akaashi sighed. The poor man looked so tired, and Kuroo laughed at the sight. He then felt something nudge at his shoulder. Kuroo looked beside him, seeing Kenma’s socked foot that just poked him. Looking up, he saw Kenma staring at him. Once their eyes met, the other man shook his head, reprimanding Kuroo for his antics, but the black-haired man didn’t miss the slight upward tilt at the corners of his mouth. Kuroo beamed, his face split by a genuine smile. _Kenma finds me amusing_ , he thought triumphantly.

“Kou, please, stop worrying. I know you wouldn’t make out with Kuroo,” Kuroo heard Akaashi reassuring the large man.

Bokuto only clung to the man tighter. “I would _never_ cheat on you.” Akaashi sighed once more, but a small smile graced his lips. He brought a soothing hand to rub at Bokuto’s back as he continued to coo assuring and calming words. 

Kuroo figured he should probably help to clean up his mess. “Bo,” he started, “I promise Akaashi knows I was joking.” The man being addressed finally looked up. He glanced at Kuroo, then back at Akaashi. The latter nodded his head, showing Bokuto that he, indeed, knew that it was a joke. 

“Plus, Akaashi knows he’s way prettier than Kuroo,” Kenma spoke up, finally adding something to the conversation. But Kuroo could have gone without that comment.

He gasped. “Kenma!” he exclaimed. The smaller boy just continued to stare at his own laptop, a small smirk gracing his lips.

Bokuto hadn’t seemed to notice Kuroo’s distress, as he beamed. “You’re right!” he cheered. “‘Kaashi is the prettiest, most handsome person in the entire universe!” Akaashi’s eyes warmed, looking at his boyfriend like he was the mot precious thing in the world. The dark-haired man leaned over, pressing a small kiss to Bokuto’s cheek. A soft smile graced Kuroo’s own lips, watching as the two exchanged affectionate touches and words. 

Kenma shifted on the couch, pulling his legs up underneath him. Kuroo turned his attention back to him. His hair was loosely pulled back by a small clip, long tendrils framing his face. Kenma rarely ever put his hair back like that because he preferred how his hair hid his face. But when he did, Kuroo found himself experiencing heart palpitations. This time was no different.

He leaned back, lying flat on the carpeted floor. Kuroo closed his eyes, bringing a hand up to cover them. His heart was pounding as if he had just ran a bunch of suicides. His tongue felt heavy in his mouth as emotions flooded his entire being.

Kenma was going to be the death of him.

Kuroo spread his fingers, stealing a side glance toward the couch and was surprised to find golden eyes already watching him. His chest constricted, heart stopping abruptly as he and Kenma stared at one another. They continued, silently watching each other.

Yeah, he definitely had to come up with a plan.

* * *

“This line is shit.”

Oikawa clicked his tongue and leaned over Hanamaki’s side. In the man’s lap, Hanamaki held sheet music to the song Oikawa had started writing a few months ago. Oikawa hadn’t thought he would show anyone the song when he started it, but Hanamaki had wanted to write new music for the upcoming competition.

He read the line Hanamaki was referring to. Oikawa groaned. “I was in a place of distress when I wrote this. Don’t judge me.”

Hanamaki snickered. “A place of distress?”

“Yes, Makki,” Oikawa sighed, leaning away to go back to the music production application he had open on his laptop. He adjusted his glasses, pushing the frames up the bridge of his nose out of nervous habit. “I wrote it that night Iwa-chan ditched me to go meet with his _lover_ ,” he grumbled out.

“After the Currents concert?” Hanamaki asked, voice lilting with peaked interest.

Oikawa nodded glumly. 

“Ah, that makes sense,” Hanamaki commented with a snort. “These lyrics are a little aggressive.”

“Makkiii,” he drawled out the last syllable in a whine. “The whole reason you’re looking at my song is so that you can _fix_ it. I know the lyrics aren't good; I told you I was distressed.”

“Yeah, I can tell,” the man beside him muttered. Oikawa slapped a hand at Hanamaki’s shoulder, causing him to bark out laughter. He shook his head before continuing. “I’m just playing.” The strawberry-haired man placed a gentle hand to Oikawa’s shoulder. Oikawa looked up and was met with a small, understanding smile. “I know it's been hard for you.”

Oikawa looked away from the pity in Hanamaki’s eyes. He felt that familiar squeeze in his chest that seemed to always accompany any thoughts of Iwaizumi nowadays. 

He sighed. “I just don’t know what to do anymore,” he mumbled. Hanamaki exhaled heavily as he shifted closer to Oikawa, placing his arm around the other’s shoulders.

“Yeah, Iwaizumi’s behavior recently has certainly been… appalling,” Hanamaki spoke, taking pause to choose his words carefully. “Even Issei made a comment about how out-of-character he’s been. One night stands were never his thing.”

Oikawa gave a sad chuckle. He titled his head, letting it fall onto Hanamaki’s shoulder as he leaned into the man’s chest. “I’m surprised Mattsun even took the time to care,” he mused.

He felt the vibrations of Hanamaki’s low snickers. “He has his moments,” Hanamaki responded simply.

He took off his glasses, deciding he wouldn’t be getting back to work anytime soon. “Speaking of Mattsun…,” Oikawa started gently, trying to steer the conversation into a new direction, “how’s that been going?” 

Hanamaki shifted slightly at his side, taking a moment before answering. “Well, it’s still going if that’s what you’re asking.” Then in a lower voice, he continued. “No new developments, just the same old casual sex.”

Oikawa heaved a sigh. He buried his head deeper into Hanamaki’s shoulder, forehead resting on the warm skin of his neck. “I don’t know how you do it,” he commented quietly.

Hanamaki took a deep breath, his fingers absentmindedly playing with Oikawa’s shirt. “I don’t know either, honestly. I can’t remember how many times I decided I would end it,” Hanamaki paused to sigh a breathy groan, “but I’m never strong enough to do it once I actually see him.”

Oikawa shook his head lightly. “You two are idiots.”

“Oh, that’s rich coming from you.” Hanamaki pulled his hand back from Oikawa, causing the latter to sit up as well. They looked at each other fully now.

“At least you know that Mattsun’s attracted to you. And you guys have been attached to the hip since you met in high school,” Oikawa explained. He looked to the side, starting up once again. “You still have a chance, Makki. Iwa-chan… he’s a completely different story. He’s never shown interest _ever_. It’s always just been snarky comments and scoldings,” he complained solemnly.“It’s very obviously unrequited and yet my stupid brain won’t let me get over it.”

“I don’t know ‘Kawa,” Hanamaki spoke with a shrug, leaning back on his hands. “I think you’ve still got a shot. You just gotta stay optimistic.”

Oikawa shook his head. He'd gone over these exact thoughts over in his head too many times to count. His mind was constantly arguing with itself whenever the situation with Iwaizumi was concerned. “I’m not even sure Iwa-chan likes _men_ , Makki. Sure, he explored a bit, but recently he’s only been going for girls. And that _one girl_ in particular,” he spat out. Even just thinking about the girl Iwaizumi was seeing more frequently made his blood boil hot with jealousy. “If I ever had a glimmer of a chance with him, it’s definitely no longer there.” 

The truth of his words sat heavy in his gut. Iwaizumi had never showed any type of romantic interest in him, so he couldn’t tell why his delusional mind was still searching for hope. Loving someone was supposed to be a beautiful thing, but all it did was make him feel like shit. Watching the person you love have countless flings with random people definitely did not help his anxiety and self-esteem. Really, there was no explanation to the situation other than Oikawa wasn’t enough for Iwaizumi... and that broke him.

Hanamaki sighed. “Men suck.”

“I whole heartedly agree.” Oikawa spread his legs in front of him and laid back on the floor of his small studio apartment. “If only we weren’t in love with other people, Makki,” he said, staring up at the ceiling. “We’d make a great couple.”

The man beside him shrugged, a playful smile on his face as he looked down at Oikawa. “We could try.”

Oikawa’s face scrunched up and he stuck out his tongue. “Ew, Makki, don’t. You’ve been tainted by Mattsun. I wouldn’t want to take his leftovers.”

“Hey,” Hanamaki called out. “Don’t act all disgusted, you literally suggested it!”

Oikawa lifted his nose in a pompous manner, although the movement was awkward because he was lying on the floor. “It was purely hypothetical. Besides, who would even top in our relationship.”

Hanamaki let out a bark of laughter, and then paused as he actually considered the question. “Y’know, I’d say we’d have a very healthy vers relationship.”

Oikawa found himself laughing along as well, allowing himself to feel the smallest surges of happiness he could get.

“You’re a doofus,” he said through chuckles. “No wonder Mattsun doesn’t want an actual relationship with your ass.” 

Hanamaki brought his hand up to his chest in mock-offense. “I’m hurt, Oikawa. You’re not wrong, but I’m still hurt.”

Oikawa laughed once more, finally sitting back up. He dragged his computer back into his lap and slipped on his glasses as he spoke. “At least we’re in the same boat.”

* * *

He doesn’t know what’s going on, but it's almost as if he's been _happy_ recently. 

Kageyama placed his backpack down onto the couch with a huff. He shrugged off his jacket as Hinata bounded over the the corner of the room where their equipment laid. They’d decided to come to the practice room to finish recording the lyrics for Hinata’s song.

He plopped down onto the couch. As Hinata began fiddling with the things needed to record his vocals, Kageyama closed his eyes and let his thoughts wander. The past month and a half or so had definitely been something else. He spent a surprisingly large amount of time with Hinata, and even more surprising was that he didn’t hate it. He found himself actually enjoying the many hours he spent with the little ball of energy whether it was at practice, working on their songs, or just randomly hanging out. It was honestly kind of scary how much fun he had around Hinata.

Everything about Hinata just felt right. The boy wiggled his way into Kageyama’s life without him even realizing it. And Kageyama wasn’t even that mad about it. 

Hinata wasn’t as annoying as he had originally thought, although he still had his moments. They yelled and argued just as often as when they first met, but it was mostly out of habit than anything else. Everything was just so comfortable.

He wasn’t used to it.

There was only a week left till the competition. The days had gone by in a blur, melding together as they worked on their projects anytime they had. Their songs were due at the end of the week, they day before prelims. Kageyama had completely finished his song, and his fingers twitched as he thought about it. The song was definitely out of his comfort zone, but if he was being honest with himself, he quite liked it. He was proud of what he produced just as always, but this song had something different about it. Something special.

“Kageyama.”

His eyes flew open and immediately stared into large brown orbs. He tried to jump back but his head just pressed further into the back of the couch. _Why is he so close?_

Hinata stared at him for a bit longer before leaning away. Kageyama let out a breath he hadn’t realized he was holding in. He combed the front part of his hair with his fingers, trying to calm his startled heart.

“I can’t have you sleeping on me, Bakageyama,” Hinata spoke as he walked back toward the now set up area. Kageyama huffed a sigh as he pushed off the couch. He made his way over to the other side of the room, leaning up against the larger amp.

Hinata began moving around the room, getting the final wires plugged in and everything in place before he started his final recording session. It had taken them a bit longer to finish Hinata’s song than his own because of how new Hinata was to it all. But Kageyama was honestly impressed with Hinata's work output. He obviously loved being a musician, and while his technical skills needed improvement, his unwavering determination made up for it tenfold. He was so passionate that Kageyama felt like he was suffocating sometimes. It was both amazing and terrifying.

Hinata came up to the amplifier Kageyama now sat on. He plugged his phone into it and then handed it to Kageyama.

“Alright, I just need you to press play for me,” Hinata started. “And don’t just zone out like last time, I need you to give me feedback and tell me if anything needs to be changed.”

Kageyama rolled his eyes, but nodded. It wasn’t his fault for accidentally nodding off the last time Hinata had tried to record his lyrics. He’d had a particularly long day with classes and assignments, and rehearsal hadn’t been a cakewalk either. 

Hinata walked back to the microphone stand, facing Kageyama at a slight angle. Once he was ready, he threw Kageyama a thumbs up with a bright grin. 

**Never Enough - Rex Orange County ( _Italics_ \- Hinata)**

He pressed play on Hinata’s phone and the room was promptly filled with the soft kick and snare of percussion. It was then joined by a familiar baseline, vibrations from the amp beneath him shaking his bones. The instrumental was engrained into Kageyama’s brain, as he was the one who played all of the instruments for Hinata, except for the piano. He knew exactly when the guitar would come in, and his mind flashed to just a few weeks ago when he had recorded that part. Kageyama had been impressed by the instrumentals Hinata had come up with and found that he was excited to finally hear the song in its final version.

_Now there's no one left to blame_

_And your face stays the same_

_You're ashamed to say you feel relieved_

_Stay away from your own family_

Hinata closed his eyes and began singing. At just the first line, Kageyama felt his eyes widen at the smooth tone of Hinata’s voice as it came through the amp.

_But years from now_

_If you could make them proud_

_You could leave the world and feel like you've_

_Achieved the things you hoped to do, but_

Kageyama really tried to pay attention to the lyrics, but his mind seemed preoccupied by the easy smile on Hinata’s lips and the hands wrapped around the microphone as he pulled it close.

_Honestly, I don't feel ordinary 'cause I haven't been at home in a while_

_Tell them that it's only temporary_

_I'm trying my best to smile_

_But that's never enough_

_'Cause when you lose the ones you love_

_You might find it hard to cry_

_Until it's only you and everybody else has left the room_

_You might feel what it's like to not know how to feel, oh_

Hinata made it look so easy, Kageyama realized. The boy knew his own voice so well as the background instrumentals melded with the tone of it perfectly. The instruments uplifted the impact of Hinata’s voice which brought the pieces together like glue. Once he finished the chorus, a small instrumental ensued before he went into the second verse.

_You see, my old lady's old man just now left_

_And there's nothing I can say except this long awaited rest_

_Is a good thing and all good things must come to an end_

_It's right in front of me so there's no reason to pretend_

Kageyama felt his breath catch in his throat. Hinata’s voice was lower as he sang this part, the high pitched synthesizer in the background a nice contrast to the low vibrato.

_Except I'm afraid to die_

_If this were a movie, you'd be taking our kids to school_

_And I would be Channing Tatum or somebody sexy_

_Somebody cool_

_Years from now_

_If you could make them proud_

_You could leave the world and feel like you've_

_Achieved the things you hoped to do, 'cause_

This time, Kageyama willed himself to listen to the lyrics and he found himself more in awe. He hated to admit it, but Hinata really was good at creating stories and relaying feeling through his lyrics. He didn’t know whether he was jealous or proud.

_Honestly, I don't feel ordinary 'cause I haven't left my house in a while_

_Tell them that it's only temporary_

_I'm trying my best to smile_

_But that's never enough_

_'Cause when you lose the ones you love_

_You might find it hard to cry_

_Until it's only you and everybody else has left the room_

_You might feel what it's like to not know how to feel_

Hinata looked so engrossed into the song. His body moved with the beat, his heel tapping on the ground and head bobbing with the music as he sang the chorus. Hinata dragged out the last word before he pulled away from the microphone, allowing for Kageyama’s guitar solo to take up the room. He had completely improvised it when he had recorded the song, deciding to ‘let go and just have fun with it for once’ as Hinata had instructed him. Hinata had been ecstatic after they recorded that bit of the song, going on and on about how perfect the solo was. The memory made his cheeks warm just as they did at the time, and he watched Hinata as he nodded his head along to the solo, moving around as if he were performing at a concert right now. Kageyama couldn’t take his eyes off of him.

_Don't tell me you're sorry_

_You're just sorry for yourself_

_And though you may seem fine alone_

_Well, I could be the one to help_

He sang into the microphone in a low voice once again, voice clear as it came through the speakers.

_No, don't tell me you're sorry_

_You're just sorry for yourself_

_And though you may seem fine alone_

_I wanna be the one to help_

The instrumental began to pick, and so did Hinata as he sang a little louder and started moving to the music once again.

_No, don't tell me you're sorry_

_You're just sorry for yourself_

_And though you may seem fine alone_

_I wanna be the one to help, no_

_Don't tell me you're sorry_

_You're just sorry for yourself_

_And though you may seem fine alone_

_I wanna be the one to help, no_

He was progressively getting louder, practically yelling the lyrics into the microphone as he sang with so much passion. Hinata’s eyes scrunched together, his mouth opening wider and and shoulders heaving as he clung tighter to the stand. Kageyama felt emotions pass through him as he watched Hinata sing. How could this man have so much control over how he portrayed his emotions?

_Don't tell me you're sorry_

_You're just sorry for yourself_

_And though you may seem fine alone_

_Well, I could be the one to help, said_

_Don't tell me you're sorry_

_You're just sorry for yourself_

_And though you may seem fine alone_

_Well, I wanna the one to help_

Hinata was shaking his head, leaning into the lyrics and rocking on the soles of his feet as he sang the last part of the song. 

He moved away from the mic, panting slightly as the final notes of the instrumental hit and the song ended. 

Kageyama watched as Hinata peeled his eyes open and immediately looked to him. They stared at each other for a moment, before Hinata spoke.

“So, what’d you think?” he asked a little breathlessly.

He was silent for a moment, unsure of how to respond. Kageyama couldn’t just simply tell him everything he was just thinking. Definitely not.

He cleared his throat, looking off to the side. “It was good,” he offered simply with a shrug of his shoulder.

“Really?!” a shrill exclamation came in response. Kageyama startled, his eyes immediately flicking back over to Hinata. The boy had his fists clenched, a bright smile on his face and eyes twinkling. He felt his face heat up and looked away once again. 

He brought a hand up to scratch the back of his head. “Uh, y-yeah.” He wanted to hit himself for stuttering, but after stealing another glance at the elated boy at his side, he knew he should compliment him for the song. “I really liked it,” he continued lamely.

But when he looked at Hinata once more, he saw the other man’s eyes wide, mouth slightly agape and his face becoming beet red. Kageyama’s own face grew warm to match the same shade as Hinata’s. _What the fuck is going on? Why_ the fuck _is he looking at me like that?_

Instead of dwelling on the very confusing questions, he hopped off the amp. He walked over to his backpack and grabbed his phone out. He took a deep breathe before heading back to Hinata. While his cheeks were still slightly pink, Hinata seemed to have composed himself as well.

He walked over to the amplifier once again and replaced Hinata’s phone with his own.

Without turning around to look at Hinata, he spoke. “Here’s my finished song. Um, I guess let me know if there’s anything I should change, too.” He snuck a glance over his shoulder and Hinata nodded aggressively. Kageyama rolled his eyes as he turned back to look at his phone, wondering if the boy could get a concussion from just moving his head so fast.

Kageyama hopped back up onto the amplifier, pulling his legs up to his chest. He pressed play and promptly buried his face into his knees.

The song started playing over the speaker, filling the room. He was proud of his song, for sure, but this was the first time he ever felt nervous showing a piece he made to someone. He figured it was because this was the first time he’d sung his own lyrics, and he didn’t want to embarrass himself in front of somebody like Hinata who seemed to be so comfortable with writing them. His shoulders tensed slightly once he heard his voice come over the speakers. 

The entire song, he kept his face buried and his eyes closed.

Once it faded out, the room was filled with silence that rang in his ears. He waited a moment before peaking an eye at Hinata. His eyes were wide, arms limp at his side as he just stood there, staring at the amp Kageyama sat on.

Kageyama nearly groaned has buried his face into his hands. _Oh my god, he hated it, didn’t he. Fuck, this is gonna suck. I’m gonna have to rewrite the entire song and live with Hinata constantly telling me I can’t write for shit_ –

“That was…,” Hinata began, cutting off his thoughts. He cringed inwardly, waiting for Hinata to bash his song. _I should have never showed it to him_. He opened his mouth to tell him he knew it was bad, but then Hinata finished. “…so good.”

Kageyama looked up so fast he thought he almost gave himself whiplash. Finally, Hinata’s eyes met his. The corners of his mouth pulled upward, a large, open smile coming to his face.

“That was seriously so good, Kageyama,” he continued. Kageyama felt his cheeks warm for the third time that night. “I honestly kind of hate you right now for how good that was.”

Heat spread across his chest. He stared wide-eyed at Hinata. “You really thought it was good?” he asked in a small voice. Under normal circumstances, he would have been embarrassed by how pathetic and vulnerable it sounded.

“Are you kidding me?” Hinata brought his hand up to his hair, pushing it through the soft-looking orange locks. “For one thing, you did a great job with the lyrics. But the music…,” he trailed off. Hinata closed his eyes, as if he was reminiscing the song. “It was just so _bwahhh_ ,” he explained with a wide wave of his arms. He opened his eyes back up and stared at Kageyama as he continued gushing. “Like, how do you compose so many different elements together and come up with _that_. I can’t believe it.” Hinata’s face grew excited. “And you kept my piano part!” he beamed.

Kageyama didn’t know what to say. He really hadn’t expected such praise from Hinata, but it felt so nice. “Ah, well, yeah,” he stuttered out, looking off to the side, “I thought it went well with the song.”

Hinata groaned loudly. “I can’t get over how good it was! Can I hear it again?”

Kageyama didn’t think it was possibly, but he felt his eyes widen even more. “You want to hear it again?”

Hinata jumped slightly on the soles of his feet, like he always did when he was excited, and nodded vehemently. So, Kageyama picked up his phone once again, but before he could press play, Hinata spoke.

“Y’know, we should show Suga-san and Daichi-san. They’d _love_ it." Then Hinata gasped loudly, jumping slightly. "Maybe we could even play it at the competition!” 

Kageyama looked up at Hinata incredulously. “No way.”

“Yes way!” Hinata argued. “Kageyama, I’m serious, it’s _really_ good.” 

He saw the fire of serious determination flicker behind Hinata’s eyes. He swallowed thickly. “Well, thank you. You really helped me with writing the lyrics,” he said quietly. “And, uh, your song was really good, too.”

Hinata smiled cheekily at him. He then moved to the couch, plopping down onto it with no ounce of grace. “We make a pretty good team, huh?” he said casually as he stretched out onto the cushions.

Kageyama looked at the other man in surprise. _A pretty good team._ He bit down onto his lip, trying to stop himself from smiling as he felt the corners of his lips pull up. 

“Yeah, I guess we do,” he mumbled to himself before pressing play. 

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> Oh y’know, just a little Gay Panic™ from our favorite angry blueberry. And Kageyama has a potty mouth. Next chapter is the start of the competition hehehe I’m so excited!!!


	10. Let the Flames Begin Pt. 1

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> Ahhh okay so this chapter was supposed to be A LOT longer but I felt bad that this is coming out so late already and didn't want y'all to wait any longer sooo this is part one of prelims and next chapter will be part two :/ sorry but I figured giving half of the chapter would be better than giving the entire thing like an entire week late hahaha  
> But anyway! We're finally at the competition so things are going to start to pick up! I've got exciting things planned for the rest of this story so thank you to everyone who has been following along so far!  
> Enjoy~

Hinata unconsciously tightened his grip to keep himself from falling over as the train started back up. He peered up, righting himself once they were moving at a constant speed. Kageyama was staring straight ahead, features relaxed as he zoned out on the scenery that blurred past the large window of the bullet train. Hinata moved his gaze away from Kageyama to stare at his hand that was currently resting on the man’s upper arm. He moved his thumb, rubbing lightly at the soft fabric of Kageyama’s dark blue hoodie. 

When they had gotten onto the train, it had been insanely crowded. All of the seats were taken, so they had to stand up with a sea of other passengers. However, Hinata couldn’t reach the metal bar at the ceiling of the train without straining on the tips of his toes. Kageyama had surprisingly mumbled an offer to hold onto him instead, and Hinata excitedly grabbed on to the man’s arm, shouting a too-loud thanks that earned him a few glares from the other passengers.

He wasn’t sure how long he had been playing with the sleeve for before someone bumped roughly into his back. Hinata felt himself surge forward, and so he latched tighter onto the arm as a squeak slipped past his lips. He found his face buried into the side of Kageyama’s chest, and before he could think about it, he inhaled a long breath through his nose. The familiar scent of clean detergent and just a hint of lavender hit him, and he allowed himself to sink his face deeper into the soft fabric.

“You okay, dumbass?” Kageyama asked, and Hinata could feel the deep rumble of his voice.

Hinata simply nodded his head, keeping his forehead pressed to the hard body. He felt Kageyama sigh, but the man did nothing else to remove Hinata from him. So, he gladly stayed, allowing his mind to go numb with the sweet scent as the train sped through Tokyo.

The two of them had gotten surprisingly close over the past two months. Hinata’s days blurred together with classes and practice, and yet blue eyes and black hair managed to stand out in his memories. He really liked being with Kageyama, even if the man would whack him sometimes and call him names. Kageyama was an incredibly talented musician, constantly pushing Hinata to try and improve himself. And even if his face always looked grumpy, Kageyama could be a lot of fun, always agreeing to stay late and practice with Hinata or go to the Little Crow for a break between classes.

And, recently, Kageyama’s been being _nice_ to Hinata. The other day, Kageyama had offered to buy Hinata’s meat buns from the campus convenience store. And even though they had just met a couple months ago, Hinata thought of Kageyama as his best friend. He was pretty sure the other man felt the same way.

Just yesterday, the two of them had presented their song projects to their classes and, for Hinata, it went _way_ better than expected. His professor had been impressed with his “ability to branch out with different instruments,” as she had put it. He had been practically buzzing in his seat for the rest of class, jumping out of his seat and sprinting out of the room the second they were dismissed. Hinata had been running to Kageyama’s dorm to tell him the good news when the two of them ran into each other in the middle of the quad. They stood in front of each other for a silent moment before they bursted into happy shouts. Hinata cheered about getting praise for his song, while a slightly disheveled and panting Kageyama described his own experience. As Kageyama told Hinata about how his professor loved the song and was proud of his successful lyrics, Hinata noticed the way Kageyama’s lips curled upward and his eyes twinkled. It was the most excited he’d ever seen Kageyama, and it made his chest feel all warm and fuzzy knowing that he had played a part in making those emotions appear on the man’s face.

The train slowed to an abrupt stop once more, making Hinata lift his head up to look around.

“Let’s go,” Kageyama said before he grabbed onto Hinata’s wrist. The two quickly made their way past people and stepped off of the train. Hinata took in a deep breath, letting his lungs fill with air that wasn’t from the stuffy train atmosphere. Although, he found himself somewhat disappointed that it didn’t smell like lavender.

He idly followed Kageyama as they made their way through the station, only now registering that the other man’s hand was still wrapped around his wrist. Hinata quickened his pace so that he was walking right next to the black-haired man.

“Kageyama,” he said, raising his arm between them. It only took a second for the man’s eyes to widen, realizing he was still holding onto Hinata, and then look away as he let go.

Hinata kept walking alongside him, practically skipping as excitement bubbled up in his chest. It only took them a few minutes to reach their destination, and as the giant building came into view, Hinata began jumping up and down on the balls of his feet. 

_We’re finally here_ , he thought as he walked faster to the front entrance of the venue, causing Kageyama to give a frustrated groan before he sped up as well.

As they drew closer to the front of the building, he immediately spotted the silver haired man and tall blonde among the sea of people. Hinata weaved his way through the crowd with Kageyama following close behind.

“Suga-san!” Hinata exclaimed with his hands spread wide as they finally reached the group. He jumped onto the man, as Suga giggled out a greeting.

“You’re such a child,” he heard someone comment with a scoff. Hinata whipped his head to the side to glare at Tsukishima as he jumped off of Suga’s back. He noticed the brunette next to him and waved excitedly at Yamaguchi who returned it with a cheeky smile.

Daichi clapped his hands and cleared his throat. “Let’s head inside and check in now that everyone’s here.” The group nodded, as they walked to the many doors that lined the venue’s wall.

Once they entered, they were met with an even larger group of people than outside. Hinata looked around, seeing various people that he assumed were all members of the bands competing. The sheer amount of people made Hinata’s stomach flip nervously. He knew he’d have to find a bathroom soon as his stomach started curl.

Suga and the rest of the group were currently at a table, talking to a very pretty lady with long black hair and glasses. She wore a black polo and had a red lanyard around her neck. Hinata whipped his head around the room, when his eyes fell on another women, this one with short blonde hair, who was wearing the same thing. He quickly went up to her, assuming she also worked at the venue. He quickly glanced at the laminated card attached to her lanyard where the name “Yachi Hitoka” was written in bold lettering. 

“Um, excuse me, Yachi-san?” he asked once he was in front of her. The small girl jumped in place, meeting Hinata’s gaze with wide eyes and a blush.

“Uh, y-yes?” she stuttered.

Hinata noticed her anxiousness and tried to give her one of his brightest smiles. He clasped his hands behind his back, and cocked his head to the side. “Sorry to bother you, but could you point me in the direction of the nearest bathroom?”

He noticed her shoulders relax slightly. “Oh, uh- yes of course.” Yachi looked around, her eyebrows furrowing as she spoke once again. “The nearest one is actually further in the building. Would you like me to show you to it?”

Hinata nodded, “Sure! Thank you Yachi-san!” The blonde nodded shyly, another blush dusting her cheeks as she began leading him further into the building. They walked through a door that entered into a labyrinth of halls. Hinata silently thanked the universe for Yachi Hitoka because he wouldn’t have been able to navigate through this area on his own. Kageyama would have had his head if he ended up lost and late for their performance. 

“So,” Yachi began quietly, fiddling with her fingers as they continued through the first hallway. “Are you performing with one of the bands today?”

He nodded excitedly. “Yeah! I just joined them not too long ago, but I think we’re gonna do really good!” Yachi only nodded in response, so he decided to keep the conversation going. “Do you play in a band, Yachi-san?”

“Oh, please, Yachi is fine,” she said quickly with a wave of her hand. “And, no, I just really like music,” she said.

Hinata hummed in understanding. “Oh! Sorry, I’m Hinata by the way! And yeah, music is the best, it’s just so much fun to play,” Hinata said just as his stomach did another flip. He clutched onto his abdomen. “Although,” he began with a strained voice, “It can be quite nerve-racking, don’t you think?” He looked over to Yachi while letting out a nervous chuckle, and her eyes widened.

“Oh no, are you nervous?” she asked, her voice laced with concern.

“Yeah, uh, it’s my first time performing in front of this many people _and_ with a band,” he said sheepishly. Suddenly, Yachi stopped walking, and so Hinata paused as well to face her.

“Uh well, I’m not sure how much this will help you, but,” she said as she grabbed onto one of Hinata’s hands, “my mom taught me to do this when I’m feeling nervous.” She opened his hand, spreading his fingers with his palm up. “Just think of something calming, and then trace each finger in time with your breaths,” she explained as she ran a light finger up his pointer finger and then moving it slowly back down as he exhale. She repeated the motion, trailing up his middle finger as he breathed in, and feathering down the path as he breathed out.

Hinata looked up, smiling softly at the small girl. “Thank you, Yachi,” he said quietly. When she looked up to meet his eyes, he grinned widely. 

She nodded, a small smile adorning her face as well. She opened her mouth to speak, but was cut off by shrill ringing.

Hinata jumped, quickly fishing out his phone from his pocket and answering it without paying attention to the caller ID.

“Hello?” he answered.

“ _Hinata, boke! Where the hell are you?_ ” A voice yelled into the receiver, causing him to wince and pull the phone back from his ear.

“Ah, well- uh, I-,” he stuttered, but Kageyama cut him off.

“ _Just hurry the hell up and get to the dressing room, we gotta get ready, dumbass._ ”

Hinata huffed and grumbled out “Fine, I’ll be right there,” before stuffing his phone back into his pocket. “Sorry, Yachi,” he sighed. “I gotta go find my band. Do you know where the dressing rooms are?”

“Oh yeah! They’re right this way.” She motioned for him to follow, only taking a few steps before she stopped and turned to him. “But didn’t you have to use the bathroom?”

Hinata just sighed once again, waving a hand to show that he would be fine.

After a minute or two of idle conversation, the two came up in front of a room with “Take Flight!” printed on a piece of paper that was taped to the closed door. Hinata reached out and opened the door as he waved to the girl. “Bye Yachi! Thanks for your help!”

She waved back with a bright smile. “Bye Hinata-kun! Good luck today!” she called out beforedisappearing around the corner.

As he turned back to walk into the room, he bumped into a hard chest. He looked up to see Kageyama’s angry scowl. Hinata immediately squeaked, ducking his head to shield himself from any oncoming head-grabs.

“Who was that?” Kageyama simply asked, but his voice sounded hard with irritation.

Before he could answer, Tsukishima spoke up. “See,” he called out with a roll of his eyes, “He was out and about making friends as always.” The man’s hazel eyes latched onto his own. “So nice of you to finally join us, _Hinata-kun_.” At his side, Yamaguchi snickered at the mocking pet-name Tsukishima used. Hinata ducked under Kageyama’s arm to enter the room, sticking out his tongue at the bassist as he moved past the two and sat down onto one of the couches.

Suga and Daichi were sat on the two stools in front of the large vanity mirror across the room while Tsukishima and Yamaguchi moved to sit on the couch opposite of Hinata. 

Hinata grabbed out his phone, sending a quick text to Kenma to wish him and his band good luck, before he let his head lull back onto the back of the couch, closing his eyes. He was only like that for a second before a body plopped down beside him. Just like at the Karaoke bar, this body was flush against his side, and he opened his eyes to peer at Kageyama.

“Suga-san said we’re on in 45,” the black-haired boy said, crossing his arms over his chest and causing his shoulder to press harder into Hinata’s.

Hinata nodded, letting his eyes fall closed once more while relishing in the warmth at his side. They were only allowed to relax for less than five minutes before they all began bustling around the room.

In a whirlwind of black eyeliner and too-tight clothing, they were ready ten minutes before they had to go on.

Hinata looked at himself in the full body mirror attached to one of the walls. He wore a tight, black cropped tank top that stopped just above his belly button, exposing some of his creamy skin and taut abdomen. Black skinny jeans clung to his waist and thighs with areas that were frayed and ripped. He shifted on his ankles, looking at the sleek, black Doc Martens that adorned his feet. He brought his right hand, which had an orange bandana wrapped around the wrist, up to his face, inspecting the smudge of black on his water line that made the light brown of his eyes pop. He looked himself up and down, and a small smile pulled at his face. 

Hinata noticed movement behind him in the mirror and saw Tsukishima and Yamaguchi. The latter was currently helping the blonde put in a black nose ring, which Hinata didn’t even know he had a piercing for. Tsukishima was dressed in a black long sleeve, with the sleeves pulled up to bunch just underneath his elbows and black skinny jeans. As the tall man ran a hand through his hair, Hinata noticed he wasn’t wearing his glasses. He had to admit, he knew why Yamaguchi was head over heals for the handsome blonde, but he was far too rude for Hinata’s liking and he was pretty sure Yamaguchi was the only person in the entire world Tsukishima could tolerate.

“Alright, everyone! We’re up soon, so make sure you’re ready!” Suga called out from in front of the vanity. Hinata looked to his side, watching as Suga applied lipgloss to his lips. The man had black winged eyeliner and mascara on. Daichi, too, was watching Suga, but from behind the man and with his hands resting on Suga’s shoulders. The two were pretty much matching, wearing tight black t-shirts and black jeans, except Suga also wore a sleek, black leather jacket. He looked so badass and Hinata’s entire body fizzled with anticipation. 

He jumped away from the mirror, making his way over to the boy huddled in front of the other mirror. Hinata could only see Kageyama’s back, so he moved around to duck underneath and stand right in front of him.

Kageyama pulled back at the sudden intrusion, and their eyes met immediately through the mirror. Hinata felt his eyes widen and his throat constrict as a gasp tried to force its way out of his lungs. Icy blue peered into him and he felt a chill go down his spine. Black outlined Kageyama’s eyes and extended underneath the outer corner, making his irises somehow _bluer_ than normal. He wore a black crewneck over a white button down with the collar tucked over the pullover. A dainty silver chain poked out underneath the white collar, glinting against the black material of his crewneck. Hinata then noticed the rings on his hand that clutched a small brush, each slender finger with a different silver ring.

“Move, dumbass,” he sighed. But before Hinata could comply, Kageyama leaned forward once again to adjust his eye makeup. Hinata stood frozen as Kageyama’s warmth seeped into his back. They were so close that he could hear the taller man’s soft breathing as a practiced hand lightly worked at the black shadow at the corners of his eyes. His throat suddenly felt dry, but he couldn’t place _why_ before Kageyama pulled back once more. They shared one last glance through the mirror before the raven-haired boy moved away from the mirror to put his brush away. With his presence gone, Hinata took in a lungful of air, realizing he had barely breathed during that entire encounter.

He had no time to ponder on what had just happened to him as Suga called out that they should make their way over to the stage. 

They all left the room together, Yamaguchi wishing them good luck as he made his way to the main area of the venue where the rest of the audience was. It didn’t take them long to end up backstage, watching the band on stage playing before they would go on.

Hinata was not familiar with the group currently playing, so he didn’t really pay attention to what they were playing. He peered over to the front of the stage where five people sat at a long table. They were on a lower level than the stage, but higher than the crowd behind them Hinata deduced that they were the judges Suga had mentioned to him earlier in the week when he had explained how the preliminaries for the competition would go. Each band would play two songs, one after the other, and they would be judged off of a bunch of categories like musicality, technique, originality, crowd engagement, and whatnot. Then, by the end of the night, everyone would be informed of which bands made it through prelims and into the main competition.

The main competition, on the other hand, was like a “battle of the bands” as Suga had described it. Your band would directly compete against another for a spot to continue to the next round. It was a gruesome single elimination competition where just the smallest slip-up would mean you’re out.

Thinking about the single elimination and the sheer number of bands he had seen in the venue earlier that day made his stomach flip around once more. He knew it was the worst time to get nervous as the band in front of them was about to wrap up their second song, but Hinata couldn’t help it as his abdomen ached and his breath quickened into little pants. 

He brought his hand up to his face and tried to calm his breathing as he went through the patterns Yachi had shown him. Remembering Yachi’s words, he tried to think of something calming and the first thing his mind came up with was the smell of detergent and sweet lavender. As he was about to start on his thumb again, he felt a presence next to him. 

“What the hell are you doing?”

Hinata jumped and looked up to see Kageyama glaring down at him. He quickly dropped his hands at his sides and looked at the ground. He shrugged before mumbling, “I’m a little nervous.”

There was a pause, nothing but the sound of the band finishing up their song resonating between them. And then, Kageyama smacked him upside the head. 

“Hey!” Hinata cried out as he clutched the back of his head.

“We’ve practiced so much in the past two months,” Kageyama said, staring down at Hinata with a scary intensity. “Don’t let everyone’s hard work go to waste now.”

Hinata’s mouth fell agape, his eyes widening slightly as he let Kageyama’s words sink in. _I can’t do it. He’s right, I’m gonna mess it up for everyone and after they’ve all worked so hard–_

“You’ll be fine,” Kageyama continued hastily, probably realizing the panic coming back onto Hinata’s face. A hesitant hand slowly lifted up, plopping down to rest in orange hair. His blue eyes softened as he lightly rubbed at Hinata’s head. “We got this,” Kageyama said lowly.

Hinata stared up at the taller man before letting out a long breath. He needed to remember that Kageyama wasn’t the best with words and that the man was actually trying to comfort him right now. A small smile made its way to his face, and he nodded. The black-haired man gave his hair one more soft ruffle before he dropped his arm. Just as they made their way to the rest of the group, their band was being announced onto the stage. 

Suga rolled back his shoulders like he was stepping into a boxing ring before stepping out onto the stage. The rest of them followed as loud cheers and applause erupted from the crowd. Hinata’s smile widened as a bright laugh left his lips. They all found their positions on stage, Hinata standing behind a keyboard and microphone stand next to Kageyama’s. He looked over to his left, meeting the man’s eyes and giving a cheeky smile before turning back to the crowd.

Hinata registered the announcers speaking over the entire venue, commenting on their band, talking about _him_ as they mentioned Take Flight!’s new member, Hinata Shouyou. He gave an excited wave after his name was called out and the audience screamed louder. He tried his best to look into the crowd, but the stage lights were too bright for him to make out any figures.

Once the announcements ceased, Suga shouted into his mic as he addressed the crowd. Cheers erupted before he called out to Daichi to start them off.

**still feel. - half•alive ( **Bold** \- Kageyama, _Italics_ \- Hinata,  Underline \- Suga)

Daichi hit his drum set to start them off before Hinata joined in, pressing down into his keys as the synthesizer played out of amplifiers. Without the other instruments joining in just yet, Kageyama began to sing calmly into his mic.

**When I'm furthest from myself** _(Far away)_

**Feeling closer to the stars** _(Outer space)_

**I've been invaded by the dark** _(Can't escape)_

**Trying to recognize myself when I feel I've been replaced**

Hinata sang back-up vocals with Suga as Kageyama started out the song. A spotlight hit him and Kageyama directly, making the two of them stand out to the crowd. Hinata looked over to Kageyama as he started the next verse and Tsukishima joined in with the bass.

**When I'm furthest from myself** _(Far away)_

**Feeling closer to the stars** _(Outer space)_

**I've been invaded by the dark** _(Can't escape)_

**Trying to recognize myself when I feel I've been replaced**

Kageyama’s eyes were half lidded, both of his hands cradling the microphone as he swayed and moved his shoulders with the music. He watched as the man’s neck muscles contracted with every word he sang.

Oh _, I can feel a kick down in my soul (_ Oh _)_

_And it's pulling me back to earth to let me know (_ Oh _)_

_I am not a slave, can't be contained_

_So pick me from the dark and pull me from the grave_

_'Cause_

Hinata followed directly after Kageyama’s part with Suga added background vocals. He sang as he played the keyboard, looking directly toward the crowd. He began to pick up in intensity along with the instruments as he led into the chorus.

**_I still feel alive_ **

**_When it is hopeless, I start to notice_ **

**_And I still feel alive_ **

**_Falling forward, back into orbit,_ ** _yeah_

He and Kageyama sang the chorus together, both passionately singing into their microphones and moving their bodies as much as they could. A small instrumental followed, before Hinata began singing once again.

_So, when I lose my gravity in this sleepy home_

_Drifting as I dream, I'll wake up soon_

_To realize the hand of life is reaching out_

_To rid me of my pride, I call allegiance to myself_

He sang lowly, just his vocals and piano with a small beat from Daichi flowing over the crowd. But then, the other instruments joined in once more, and he began singing louder as he moved into the pre-chorus.

Oh _, I can feel a kick down in my soul (_ Oh _)_

_And it's pulling me back to earth to let me know (_ Oh _)_

**_I am not a slave, can't be contained_ **

**_So pick me from the dark and pull me from the grave_ **

_'Cause_

Kageyama joined him in the pre-chorus, the two of them locking eyes as they sang into their microphones as loud as they could without actually screaming. When the beat dropped Hinata was banging his head slightly to the beat and Kageyama ripped his microphone from its stand.

**_I still feel alive_ **

**_When it is hopeless, I start to notice_ **

**_And I still feel alive_ **

**_Falling forward, back into orbit (Oh)_ **

**_And I still feel alive_ **

**_It is hopeless, I start to notice (Oh)_ **

**_And I still_ ** _feel_ **_alive_ **

**_Falling forward, back into orbit,_ ** _yeah_

As they sang the chorus, Kageyama moved forward to the edge of the stage. Only on the very sides were there people from the crowd, since the judges occupied the middle area, but Kageyama didn’t seem to mind as he performed to one side of the stage. Men and women reached out to the mysterious and attractive lead singer, as he bent forward and sang with passion he’d never before performed with. Hinata watched as Kageyama straightened, running a hand through his dark hair as he leaned backward, sensually rolling his hips. Another small instrumental followed, so Kageyama dropped the mic from his mouth, sending a small wink to the crowd. The people erupted into ear-shattering cheers of approval, and Hinata started to sing as Kageyama made his way back to his stand. Violins began to flow from the speakers as a track Kageyama had pre-recorded played.

Oh _, I can feel a kick down in my soul (_ Oh _)_

_And it's pulling me back to earth to let me know (_ Oh _)_

_And this heart that beats inside of me will show_

_It will show_

Kageyama placed his microphone back, glancing at Hinata through the side of his eye. A small smirk fell onto his face as he found Hinata’s eyes already on him. The dark-haired man broke eye contact just as he began singing.

**Floating in outer space, have I misplaced a part of my soul?**

**_Lost in the in-between,_ or _so it seems,_ I'm _out of control_**

**_Floating_ in _outer space_ , _have I misplaced_ _a part of my soul?_**

**_Lost_ in the _in-between, but it can't keep me asleep for long,_ 'cause**

Hinata joined in, harmonizing with Kageyama only on certain words just as they had done in practice. They had been playing around with different ways the two of them could sing together, and Hinata loved the way they seemed to echo off of each other in this song.

_I still feel alive_ (I can feel it)

**When it is hopeless** (It ain't hopeless)

**I start to notice** (Start to notice)

**_And I still feel alive_** (I can feel it)

_Falling forward,_ **back into orbit**

Without much effort at all, Hinata belted the first line of the chorus. They were entering the end of the song, where they began to echo off each other even more with Suga for back-up vocals. Their voices were overlapping and Hinata belted runs for a few of the lines, letting his higher voice contrast nicely with Kageyama’s deep tone. The background music picked up, as a pre-prerecorded track began to play violins and trumpets, adding to the busy excitement of the song.

**_And I still feel alive_ **

_It is hopeless_ , **I start to notice**

**_And I still feel alive_ **

_Falling forward,_ **back into orbit**

_I still feel alive,_ **I can feel it**

**It ain't hopeless**

**‘Cause I start to notice**

_I still feel alive,_ **I can feel it**

**Falling forward**

_I still feel alive_

_I still feel alive_

Their voices slowly faded out as the instruments got quiet, besides Suga, who smoothly transitioned into the chord progression for the next song. 

**Things Won’t Go My Way - Peach Tree Rascals ( **Bold** \- Kageyama, _Italics_ \- Hinata)**

**Don't wanna be so afraid**

**It's time to get out my way**

**I'm running I can't keep running**

**I'm running _I can't keep running_**

**I've been seeing a haze**

**Just wish it was just a faze**

**I'm running I can't keep running**

**I'm running I can't keep running**

Kageyama began singing smoothly, his deep voice rumbling through the speakers as Suga strummed his guitar. Daichi then kicked in with Tsukishima following.

**Feeling it more and more**

**Like everything's going wrong**

**There's something there's always something**

**Something there's always something**

**Never gone have control**

**I'm better off letting go**

**There's something there's always something**

_It's a game all the way we keep running away_

_It's the same every day it'll always be me_

_I'm just staring at the stars tryna find my way_

_When things don't go my way_

Hinata began singing right after Kageyama. He didn’t have to play keyboard for this song, so he focused his eyes to the crowd as he sang. Suga was then singing back-up vocals with a slightly distorted voice during the chorus.

_When things don't go my way_

_When things don't go my way_

_When things don't go my way_

_When things don't go my way_

Hinata took off his microphone and jumped out to the front of stage as he began rapping. It wasn’t really rapping in his opinion, more like fast singing, but Suga had wanted him to try something new.

_In the back of the paddywagon 16_

_Right after selling ounce of blue dream_

_Cops pulled up expecting some P's_

_Had to 2 grams on us, bitch please_

_I got enemies I don't know about_

_Couple old friends still stuck in jail_

_They was totin' them poles like show and tell_

_I was stuck in my zone stuck in the house_

As he moved into the second verse, he did a little dance routine across the stage, skipping and jumping. He paused every now and then to point directly to an audience member at the side of the stage or send winks and smiles out to the crowd.

_And I think about the days when my brother went to jail_

_I was sittin with my dad_

_Auntie had to pay the bail_

_Uncle had to take the gun_

_Still wonder where he went_

_Either way it goes still is what it is_

_No control of this life we live_

_No control in this life we own_

_If we did then we'd still be kids_

_Ridding round on our bicycles_

He moved back to the middle of the stage as he and Kageyama sang together, the latter pulling off his microphone to join Hinata.

**_I'm just staring at the stars tryna find my way_ **

_When things don't go my way_

**_When things don't go my way_ **

**_When things don't go my way_ **

The two stood face-to-face, as they began singing the chorus. There was only about a foot of space between them, and Kageyama stared directly into Hinata’s eyes as they sang together. Kageyama walked slowly toward Hinata just as the man took steps back. The two of the moved across the stage in this little two step routine, until the music slowed and Hinata placed a hand on Kageyama’s shoulder, leaning in closer as he began pushing Kageyama and they moved back toward centerstage. Once in the center, they began circling each other slowly, never breaking eye contact once. They slowed to a stop, their profiles facing the front of the crowd as Kageyama sang the last line of the song.

**_When things don't go my way_ **

**_When things don't go my way_ **

**_When things don't go my way_ **

**I'm just staring at the stars tryna find my way**

They both dropped their mics from their mouths, staring at each other as the song ended. They were so close, and Hinata could smell the fresh mint of Kageyama’s breath as it fanned across his cheeks. After only a second, he finally registered the cheers of the crowd. He broke eye contact with Kageyama to look out to the venue, waving his arms at the crowd as Suga called out a thank you to everyone. 

He heard Kageyama mumble “let’s go,” and so he followed him and the rest of the band off of the stage. Even as they moved further backstage, he could hear the remnants of cheers for them and an achingly large grin split his face. 

“Ahhhhh! That felt so good guys!” Suga exclaimed, clinging onto Daichi’s arm as he jumped up and down. Suga’s excitement only made Hinata’s own multiply. He began jumping up and down as well, his eyes sparkling.

“Told you you’d be fine,” a deep voice said from behind him. He turned around to see Kageyama looking down at him, his hands on his hips and a shadow of a smug smile on his face. Kageyama lightly punched Hinata’s shoulder as he walked past him, and Hinata followed happily.

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> Okay! I hope y'all liked this chapter! And like I said, pt 2 of the prelims will be next chapter and hopefully up soon! (Sorry, I've got a bunch of work before Thanksgiving break, but I'm hoping to get a lot of writing done over break!)  
> Also, idk if anyone noticed, but Hinata literally NEVER gets to go to the bathroom and I think that's hilarious  
> P.S. not that anyone cares, but I changed the titles of every chapter to be song titles LOL


	11. Let the Flames Begin Pt. 2

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> Hello my little buttered croissants~  
> Here's part 2 of prelims! Hope ya enjoy!  
> ALSO! Huge thank you to anime-catt for suggesting one of the songs used in this chapter!

Tsukishima walked out of the dressing room, following Suga and Daichi with the two idiots bickering behind him. He adjusted his glasses out of habit, glad to be able to see again. He rarely ever wore his glasses while performing because they always slipped down his nose, making for a rather unpleasant experience. So, for most of the times they played, he sacrificed his eyesight for comfort.

They walked through the halls, now in their regular (and much more comfortable, in his opinion) clothing. Once they made it out into the main area of the venue, they were met with a large sea of people. There was stadium seating further back in the enormous room, but Suga had decided to come out to the front floor so they all could get a closer look at the bands. Tsukishima didn’t mind as long as no one tried to talk to him. He really didn’t have the energy to deal with any overzealous individuals.

Walking to the front of the area, Suga spotted Yamaguchi first. The silver-haired man bounded over to him and the rest of them followed. Tsukishima naturally sidled up to Yamaguchi’s side.

He looked down at the boy as he congratulated his bandmates on the performance. Yamaguchi was wearing the same outfit from earlier: the yellow sweater Tsukishima’s mom had bought him for Christmas a year or two ago tucked into black overall pants. The style fit Yamaguchi well, as the bright color seemed to make his eyes sparkle even brighter, like stars in a cloudless night sky. 

Yamaguchi then tilted his head behind him, peering up over his shoulder at Tsukishima. He gave a large, toothy smile as he greeted him.

“Hey, Tsukki!” His brown eyes were wide with a child-like wonder, sending tingles of warmth throughout Tsukishima’s entire body.

He ignored the feeling and gave a mere nod in response.

The lack of reciprocated enthusiasm didn’t phase Yamaguchi, though, as he turned around fully to face Tsukishima and continued to speak excitedly. “I’m so glad I got to watch you guys play! That went so well!”

Tsukishima nodded once again while crossing his arms over his chest. He threw a glance to Kageyama, who was staring down at his manicured fingernails with mild disinterest. Tsukishima clicked his tongue, raising his hand to cup his mouth as if he were telling Yamaguchi a secret, but spoke at a loud volume. “I’d feel more confident in our chances if the hothead over there had put in a little more effort,” he commented to Yamaguchi.

It received the exact reaction he wanted, Kageyama going rigid and immediately whipping his head in their direction to throw a deadly glare. Tsukishima met it with a nonchalant smirk as he heard chuckles from underneath him. He dropped his gaze to Yamaguchi, seeing the boy trying to cover his giggles with a hand and failing miserable. Tsukishima bit the inside of his cheek as he felt a smile threaten to pull at his lips. 

“You’re one to talk about putting in effort, Mr. Bare Minimum,” he heard Kageyama mutter under his breath after a bit. Tsukishima’s eyes twitched, but he schooled the rest of his features into practiced indifference. 

He hummed, shifting to lean all of his weight onto one leg as he tilted his head back to look down his nose at Kageyama. “Ah, and yet my bare minimum is on par with your full effort.” He shrugged his shoulders, moving his gaze away from the other man. “I only do as much as is required of me.”

He flicked his eyes back to him once he heard Yamaguchi’s snickers and saw Kageyama’s face contorted into a snarl, his fists clenched at his sides. Tsukishima rolled his eyes at him and then looked down at Yamaguchi.

“Poor Kageyama,” Yamaguchi whispered to him through his little chuckles. Tsukishima raised an eyebrow, questioning what he meant by that, and Yamaguchi let out another light laugh that sounded like twinkling bells. “He gets so riled up,” he said, leaning in closer to him, “there’s no wonder why you mess with him so much.”

He felt his eyes widen a fraction as he stared down at his best friend. Most people would ridicule him for his comments, hell, everyone _but_ Yamaguchi would tell him off for his snide and oftentimes rude jokes. He exhaled harshly through his nose, not liking the way his heart seemed to pound harder in his chest.

But, luckily for him, that was when the announcers introduced the next band. His eyes flicked up just as the members walked onto the stage. He recognized them immediately.

Kuroo appeared first, his signature smirk adorned his face as he sauntered over to the right side of the stage. He wore black, cuffed jeans with a chain hanging from the belt loops and a dark red leather jacket over a black shirt. Trailing him was Kenma, the short boy dressed in a red blouse with large, billowing sleeves and black pants that flared out below his knees. Bokuto and Akaashi walked out together with their hands entwined. Bokuto wore a simple, black three-quarter sleeve shirt and jeans, waving his unoccupied hand excitedly to the crowd before he broke away from Akaashi and moved to the drum set. The last man crossed over to the left side of the stage, moving gracefully in tall black pumps. He had a black long-sleeve turtleneck underneath a red button down with swirling dragons tucked into black high-waisted jean shorts and fishnets.

The band had won the Tokyo Spring Competition last year, and he could definitely tell as the audience buzzed with excitement and the members’ names were screamed out across the entire venue. He studied the band as Kuroo yelled into his microphone, addressing the crowd and receiving louder screams in response. He hated to admit it, but the band was good. They definitely posed a big threat to them if they made it through preliminaries this year.

Two girls next to him were fawning over Kuroo, gushing about his sexily mussed hair and tall stature. Tsukishima scoffed to himself. _If only you knew he didn’t style it like that_ , he thought just as music started to play over the venue.

** Dangerous (ft. Joywave) - Big Data ( _Italics_ \- Kenma, **Bold** \- Kuroo) ** [A/N: huge shoutout to anime-catt for the song suggestion!]

Kuroo began strumming on his guitar, earning high pitched squeals from the crowd as Bokuto hit his drums. Kuroo’s grin widens, and he leans back to play against the strings with more enthusiasm. After the short intro, Kenma’s eyes slid shut and he started singing lowly.

_How could you know, how could you know?_

_That those were my eyes_

_Peepin’ through the floor, it's like they know_

_It's like they know I'm looking from the outside_

_And creeping to the door, it's like they know_

Kenma moved his shoulders slowly as he sang. He peeled his eyes open to give the crowd a heady, half-lidded gaze.

_And now they coming, yeah, now they coming_

_Out from the shadows_

_To take me to the court because they know_

_Gotta shut this down, cause they been watching all my windows_

_They gathered up the warrant cuz' they know_

He sang a little louder, gripping onto the mic with one hand but still keeping his relaxed and sultry expression.

_You understand, I got a plan for us_

_I_ **_bet you didn't know that I was dangerous_ **

_It must be fate, I found a place for us_

**_I bet you didn't know someone could love you this much_ **

They began the chorus, Kuroo joining in to harmonize nicely with Kenma’s smooth voice.

_How could they know, how could they know_

_What I’ve been thinking?_

_But they're right inside my head, because they know_

_Because they know, what I been hidin'_

_They're right under my bed, they're in control_

Kenma returned to singing in a low voice, contrasting nice with the low guitar and bass. He took his microphone out of its stand, walking slowly out to the front of the stage. He didn’t bother with going toward the ends where the audience was, just staying in the middle as he held the mic close to his mouth with two hands.

_Here they come, yeah here they come_

_Out of the shadows_

_To take me to the club because they know_

_Gotta shut this down, cause they been watching all my windows_

_They gathered up a warrant cuz' they know_

He sang with his gaze pointed straight out into the crowd, his long hair covering the sides of his face. Then, the music slowed down to just a pre-recorded track.

_And I've gotta get out of here_

_Sink down, into the dark_

**Keep on running**

_And I've gotta get out of here_ , **(keep on running)**

_Sink down, into the dark_

Kenma sank down slowly, squatting onto his knees as he sang into his mic. The music resonated over the venue, and Tsukishima could feel it vibrating in his very bones. _Their concerts are always an experience_ , he thought just as Kuroo shouted into his own microphone. The band started playing their instruments once again and Kenma stood up, singing louder into the mic as he walked back to his stand. 

_You understand, I got a plan for us_

**_I bet you didn't know that I was dangerous_ **

_It must be fate, I found a place for us_

**_I bet you didn't know someone could love you this much_ **

He replaced his microphone just as he began singing the chorus, but this time with more enthusiasm. Kenma did a little dance as he sang with Kuroo, rolling his shoulders and sinking down slightly before popping back up. A short instrumental followed, with more pre-recorded synthesizers playing over the venue.

_Nobody’s listening when we’re alone_

_Nobody’s listening_

_There’s nobody listening_

_No one can hear us when we’re alone_

_No one can hear us_

_No, no one can hear us_

_And I’ve gotta get out of here_

_Sink down, into the dark_ **(keep on running)**

_And I’ve gotta get out of here_ **(keep on running)**

_Sink down, into the dark_

Kenma sang with his gaze roaming over the crowd. The entire band looked focused in their parts, even Akaashi seemingly engrossed in his playing as he plucked at his bass with as much passion as he could muster. 

_You understand, I got a plan for us_

**_I bet you didn't know that I was dangerous_ **

_It must be fate, I found a place for us_

**_I bet you didn't know someone could love you this much_ **

After the chorus, the continued playing for a bit. Akaashi sang a bit of adlibs and Kenma nodded his head to the music before it faded out to leave just Bokuto tapping lightly at his drums. Kenma stepped away from the mic stand. He walked back and passed Akaashi as the man stepped up to the front stand. Akaashi still had his bass, but Kenma took his old spot and bent down to shoulder on a second guitar.

_Ah, this’ll be interesting_ , Tsukishima thought as a small smirk made its way onto his face.

This was what he had been waiting to see, the famous switch. That was one of the reasons why The Currents were so popular; they were able to create different sounds and were constantly experimenting with genres while also keeping their musical identity. They appealed to many groups and fans were just drawn to the band.

** Cloud 9 - Beach Bunny ( _Italics_ \- Akaashi)**

Bokuto hit a quick and hard drum line which prompted Akaashi to begin singing and Kuroo and Kenma to join in.

_I don't wanna seem the way I do_

_But I'm confident when I'm with you_

_Lately, all I feel is bad and bruised_

_Tired of tripping on my shoes_

The crowd went wild at the first line that Akaashi sang, immediately recognizing the song. Akaashi’s voice was nice and smooth, coming out of the amplifiers like a clear rush of water.

_But when he loves me, I feel like I'm floating_

_When he calls me pretty, I feel like somebody_

_Even when we fade eventually, I'm nothing_

_You will always be my favorite form of loving_

The crowd clapped along to the song as Akaashi sang, backed up by just his bass and Bokuto’s drums. His eyes were closed shut, singing into the microphone with a soft smile. Kuroo and Kenma eventually joined in for the second half of the verse.

_When I start to tumble from the sky_

_You remind me how to fly_

_Lately, I've been feeling not alive_

_But you bring me back to life_

Akaashi’s eyes opened back up, and he picked at his bass as Bokuto’s playing increased in intensity to lead into the chorus.

_But when he loves me, I feel like I'm floating_

_When he calls me pretty, I feel like somebody_

_Even when we fade eventually, I'm nothing_

_You will always be my favorite form of loving_

The crowd continued to clap along to the chorus, nearly the entire venue singing along to the lyrics. Tsukishima heard someone next to him singing as well and looked down to see Yamaguchi dancing along and singing the lyrics with a bright smile on his face. He shook his head at the scene as he looked back to the band, but a small smile played at his lips. There was then a short instrumental for Akaashi and Bokuto. As Bokuto played, the man’s eyes were trained on Akaashi’s back the entire time, a huge grin splitting his face. Tsukishima could tell why the fans loved this song in particular, as the chemistry between the two band members rolled off of them in thick waves. Kenma and Kuroo then joined into the instrumental shortly, picking at their guitars before stopping altogether and leading into the chorus.

_But when he loves me, I feel like I'm floating_

_When he calls me pretty, I feel like somebody_

_Even when we fade eventually, I'm nothing_

_You will always be my favorite form of loving_

The music faded off once Akaashi finished singing, a small, satisfied smile adorning his face. Kuroo yelled a thank you to the crowd, receiving an enormous bout of cheers in response as the band walked off of the stage. The screams continued long after they walked of stage, and even as the next band was introduced. 

Tsukishima groaned. _Of course it’s them._

The next band currently making their way across the stage was none other than The Grand Court.He rolled his eyes as a too peppy Oikawa took his spot behind the microphone in the middle of the stage. The man pissed him off, and the other band members weren’t any better either. Iwaizumi was the only one Tsukishima felt he could possibly hold a civil conversation with.

He really did not want to watch them play.

“Yamaguchi,” he said, leaning over to the man slightly so he could hear him.

Yamaguchi perked up immediately, turning to Tsukishima with those wide eyes. “Yeah, Tsukki?”

“Wanna go get food before you gotta leave?”

Confusion swept over the man’s features, his head cocking to the side slightly like a puppy.

“I don’t want to listen to Oikawa singing,” he clarified truthfully. Yamaguchi laughed loudly, throwing his head back and holding his abdomen. He threw Tsukishima a bright smile.

“Of course, Tsukki!” Yamaguchi moved, turning around to walk out of the venue. Tsukishima followed. “Anything in particular you wanna get?” he asked.

Tsukishima shook his head lightly. “You can choose,” he said as the left the concert area and entered the large hall where they had checked in earlier that day.

His response seemed to be exactly what Yamaguchi wanted to hear, as the man clapped his hands together excitedly. “Ooh! Can we get ramen?”

They walked out of one of the many glass doors and were hit by the slight breeze of early March.It was a pleasant temperature, not too cold or too warm. Tsukishima nodded his head, and Yamaguchi cheered before he began walking determinedly down the sidewalk. Of course he would say yes, so he wasn’t sure why Yamaguchi had even asked.

He peered down at the shorter man through the corner of his eye.

As if he could ever say no to Yamaguchi.

* * *

Kageyama could still feel the tips of his fingers buzzing with adrenaline. He itched to play a guitar, or sing, or _something_. He had a really good feeling about their chances, and he just couldn’t wait to continue to play in the competition. That was probably the most fun he had performing, ever.

He looked down at the small, orange-haired man in front of him. Hinata was rocking on the balls of his feet in an antsy manor, and Kageyama figured he was feeling the remnants of adrenaline from playing as well. Hinata was an enigma to him. The boy was obviously gifted with a natural talent and yet he worked just as hard as anyone else to continuously improve himself. Playing with Hinata just made Kageyama _feel_ something, even though he wasn’t sure he knew what. Hinata was always too loud and way too energetic, always pissing him off. But for some reason, Kageyama felt himself constantly gravitating toward Hinata, like a planet to the Sun. 

Kageyama moved his eyes from the head of orange hair and watched as the new group of people made their way onto the stage. His eyes immediately caught on the tall, slim form that was confidently striding up to the front microphone. A small smirk played on Oikawa’s face, his chin held up high. He didn’t take his eyes off of him even as Hinata began speaking.

“Uwahh!! I’m so excited!” The shorter man exclaimed. Now he was actually jumping, hands clenched together in thrilled fists. “This is my first time actually seeing them perform!”

“Oh,” he responded dumbly. He hadn’t even thought that Hinata hadn’t seen The Grand Court play yet. Kageyama often forgot that Hinata had just joined them a mere two months ago. He finally looked at Hinata, bright eyes already peering up at him. _How had it only been two months?_

He shook the thought from his head. Hinata was just like a worm that got under your skin, staying and making a home there. The boy just had a way of weaving himself into people’s lives, as he did with Kenma as well, so it wasn’t like Kageyama was some odd exception.

“Well, don’t get too excited,” he continued. “They never go all out for the prelims; they know they have a big enough fanbase, so they can risk playing it a little easy just to get in. They save their better songs for the actual competition.”

“What?? That’s so lame!”

Kageyama shrugged. “It’s effective. They don’t need to show their full potential at the beginning, so it’s harder to judge how to go up against them during the main competition.”

“I guess that makes sense. But it’s still not fair,” Hinata pouted as his shoulders sagged forward.

“Idiot, of course we’d need to go all out for something as mundane as the prelims. We don’t even have that much of a fanbase, we’re starting from square one.”

Hinata groaned dramatically and Kageyama rolled his eyes just as Oikawa finished addressing the crowd and a pre-recorded track of piano filled the venue.

**Little League - Conan Gray ( **Bold** \- Oikawa,  Underline \- Hanamaki)**

**Do you remember days on our old block?**

**Messing with our neighbors, who called the cops**

**Coulda swore that you and me**

**Could get away with anything**

Oikawa’s smooth voice rolled out of the speakers, singing easily with a lazy hand wrapped around his microphone and the other resting lower on the stand.

**We'd lay on the grass, all day talking**

**'Cause we snuck out of class when no one was watching**

**I remember you and me**

**Yeah, I remember everything**

He took the microphone out from the stand, walking slowly out to the front of the stage. Oikawa had always been very expressive as he sang, moving his head and entire body to the lyrics.

**But,** **lately I've been feeling strange**

**And everybody's telling me to act my age**

**I never thought that everything I had, would fade away**

Hanamaki joined in as backup vocals for the pre-chorus, the strawberry-brunette man plucking at his bass lazily. Oikawa walked to one side of the stage slowly before stopping just as the music picked up and the chorus hit.

**When we were younger**

**We didn't know how it would be**

**We were the dumb, the wild, the free**

**Little league**

**And when we were younger**

**We wore our hearts out on our sleeves**

**Why did we ever have to leave?**

**Little league**

Oikawa stood at the edge of the stage, his unoccupied arm thrown out wide as he sang. He had always been so good at engaging the crowd without really trying, just being so expressive with his singing getting him the audience’s undivided attention. It was just Hanamaki plucking at his bass for the first half of the chorus, before Matsukawa joined in with the percussion and Iwaizumi soon following with a simple strum pattern on his guitar.

**Could I get a rewind?**

**Get another chance, take it back in time**

**'Cause I don't know what to do**

**With everything I'm going through**

Began walking slowly again to the other side of the stage. His eyes focused out on the crowd the entire time

**And where did all my friends go?**

**Standing on our street but nobody's home**

**Swore we'd never move away**

**But now I'm going ninety-five on the interstate**

**'Cause,** **lately I've been feeling strange**

**And everybody's telling me to act my age**

**I never thought that everything I had, would fade away**

Oikawa turned around so he was walking backwards to the other side of the stage, throwing his head back and running hands in his hair in a show of distress.

**When we were younger**

**We didn't know how it would be**

**We were the dumb, the wild, the free**

**Little league**

**And when we were younger**

**We wore our hearts out on our sleeves**

**Why did we ever have to leave?**

**Little league**

**I wish I was younger, oh**

**Wish I was younger**

He sang louder into his microphone, bending over and swinging his arms out as he sang. The crowd cheered loudly as he bent over to the people he was near, clutching at the front of his shirt. The music paused for a moment, and then he jumped up right as it resumed, striding across the stage with pep as he sang the last chorus.

**When we were younger**

**We didn't know how it would be**

**We were the dumb, the wild, the free**

**Little league**

**And when we were younger**

**We wore our hearts out on our sleeves**

**Why did we ever have to leave?**

**Little league**

They all stopped at the same time, and then Hanamaki began singing ooh’s and ah’s as Oikawa moved to the center of the stage. He stayed away from the microphone stand, staying on the edge of the stage right in front of the judging table as he began

**Rollin’ Stone - Kyle Lux ( **Bold** \- Oikawa,  Underline \- Hanamaki)**

**I don’t know if I’m flying**

**Could be** **falling, crawling, lying**

**I won’t leave you**

**I can’t see where I’m** **going** **, never** **know when**

**I’m alone, I’m finding me**

The crowd cheered as Oikawa started singing. It was just Oikawa’s voice until the other three band members began playing. Matsukawa tapped on the drums with a look of indifference that matched Hanamaki’s, though the two would often look each other for a brief moment and smirk.

**I found a home**

**In a place I couldn’t live in**

**I heard song**

**Didn’t matter, I can’t listen and I won’t**

**I’ll never shake this feeling, rollin’ stone**

**I’m alone**

Oikawa began walking along the edge of the stage slowly once again, making eye contact with individual members of the audience as he sang.

**Away again**

**And I can’t seem to find my friends, gone**

**Away again**

**And I’ll never know if I can go home, oh**

**I don’t know if I’m flying**

**Could be** **falling, crawling, lying**

**I won’t leave you**

**I can’t see where I’m** **going** **, never** **know when**

**I’m alone, I’m finding me**

Oikawa stopped walking, holding his microphone up to his lips with two hands. Iwaizumi hadn’t been doing much this song, just strumming lightly every now and then. His face was in its usual scowl, eyes hardened on his guitar.

**I leave again**

**And when I say I’m happy I’ll pretend**

**That the way I sing can make me born again**

**And I just keep my eyes shut as it ends**

**It ends, yeah**

Oikawa sang while doing little dances, rolling his shoulders and doing little crossover steps as he spread his arm wide. He then brought it back in, tapping on his chest as sang.

**Away again**

**And I can’t seem to find my friends, gone**

**Away again**

**And I’ll never know if I can go home, oh**

He began walking across the stage again, getting ready for the chorus.

**I don’t know if I’m flying**

**Could be** **falling, crawling, lying**

**I won’t leave you**

**I can’t see where I’m** **going** **, never** **know when**

**I’m alone, I’m finding me**

Oikawa then began snapping as Hanamaki, Iwaizumi, and Matsukawa haunted their playing to clap. Across the entire venue, the crowd sang and clapped along with them, making the atmosphere buzz all around them.

**I don’t know if I’m flying**

**Could be** **falling, crawling, lying**

**I won’t leave you**

**I can’t see where I’m** **going** **, never** **know when**

**I’m alone, I’m finding me**

The band picked back up once again and Oikawa sang with even more passion. His eyes were screwed shut, and he moved his entire body with the lyrics, bending over and leaning back as he sang. The song ended with Iwaizumi doing a short instrumental before they all stopped playing. Oikawa thanked the crowd in a cheery voice and gave a small wave with a wink to the crowd before he joined his bandmates to walk off the stage.

Beside him, Hinata was clapping, a large smile on his face and a twinkle in his eye. However, there was something else behind the expression that was different than the usual dopey happiness the boy had. It was like his eyes were hyper-focused, and something dark swam in the back of his irises. Kageyama resisted the urge to shiver. 

Before he could question it, the look was gone and Hinata was spinning around to call out to Suga. Hinata babbled about wanting to go and find the band. Suga nodded, taking Daichi’s hand and then leading the group back out into the hallways to find the members of The Grand Court.

* * *

Hinata walked alongside Kageyama as hey followed Suga and Daichi down the halls. He had so much energy that he wanted to run a few laps around the huge building just to relieve the jittering ball in his chest. Seeing Oikawa perform had struck something within him. The man was elegant and graceful, barely trying and yet having such a control over the entire audience. He was born to enthrall whoever crossed his path, and it made Hinata all the more excited to go up against them if they made it into the competition.

They turned a corner and came up to a group of people. He spotted Kenma first, and then realized the rest of them were the members of The Currents and The Grand Court. Kenma stood behind Kuroo, playing on his DS as the latter conversed with Iwaizumi. Oikawa was preoccupied with chatting to Akaashi and Bokuto, while Hanamaki and Matsukawa whispered to each other off to the side. 

_Perfect! Two birds with one stone!_

“Hey guys!”

Bokuto was the first to greet him back, running over to Hinata with a gasp. “My little crow son!” he exclaimed, throwing an arm around Hinata’s neck in an aggressive hug. Hinata’s face smashed into Bokuto’s hard chest, and he felt he could have gotten a concussion.

“Koutarou, please be careful,” he heard Akaashi say softly. “And he’s not yours.”

Hinata didn’t really mind. He turned to the man with equal enthusiasm. “Bokuto-san! You guys did amazing! I didn’t know Akaashi-san could sing so well!”

“Oh, well, of course! Someone as beautiful as my boyfriend obviously would have a beautiful singing voice as well,” he boasted loudly.

“Please, Koutarou, not now,” Akaashi muttered, although it was said as a small blush bloomed on the man’s cheeks. Bokuto smiled cheekily and moved back to throw his arm across Akaashi’s shoulders.

“Ahhh, Tobio-chan, Shou-chan,” a too sweet voice chided. “How nice to see the little worms,” Oikawa said with a cross of his arms over his chest and a pained smile.

“Shut up, asshole,” Iwaizumi grumbled, coming up behind the taller man and whacking the back of his head. The two began bickering, well more like Oikawa whining and Iwaizumi berating him, paying no more attention to him or Kageyama.

“You did well today, Shouyou,” a soft voice suddenly said at his side. He looked over to see Kenma and Kuroo, the taller man now standing behind Kenma. Hinata smiled brightly.

“Thanks, Kenma!”

Kuroo leaned forward, resting his chin on the top of Kenma’s head, a smirk playing at his lips. “Yeah, I’m impressed, Chibi, but we’ll still crush you guys,” he said, sending a wink to Hinata. Hinata’s smile turned sly as he looked up to Kuroo, challenging the stare with his own look of determination.

Suddenly, someone cleared their throat behind him, and Hinata realized Kageyama was still standing there. “Kuroo-san, Kozume-san, you both did great out there as well,” he said with an awkward amount of politeness.

Hinata watched as Kuroo’s eyes widened slightly, probably surprised that Kageyama was trying to make conversation. A smile came onto Kuroo’s face, and he slung an arm over Kageyama’s shoulders, aggressively pulling him in. “What’s with all the honorifics, kid, I’ve known ya for a bit!” he laughed boisterously, causing Kageyama to blush. “Just Kuroo and Kenma are fine.” Kuroo said, pulling away with a hard slap to Kageyama’s back, causing the boy to lurch forward before he caught himself. Kageyama nodded stiffly as Kuroo returned to his spot perched on Kenma’s head.

Hinata smiled softly to himself, glad to see Kageyama trying to become friendly with the other bands.

“Ah, let’s leave them so they can get changed,” he heard Suga’s soft voice suggest. He only noticed then that they were all still in their outfits from performing. “We’ll meet with you all out in the main floor later!” Suga called out as he ushered them to head back. Hinata threw Kenma a wave as they left, receiving a small wave back. He hummed to himself, practically skipping down the halls before they reached the concert area once more.

A bit later, The Currents and The Grand Court joined them in the main part of the venue dressed in casual clothes. Tsukishima had also returned not too long ago, although Hinata hadn’t even noticed the blonde had left. He said so, and the bassist clicked his tongue at him with an irritated expression.

They all hung around amongst the crowd and chatted as the last bands performed. Once the last band members stalked off of the stage, the announcers went into commentary about some random things Hinata had no interest in listening to, to allow the judges time to converse. He couldn’t keep still, too anxious to hear Kageyama scolding him for his incessant movement. 

A hand gripped onto the top of his head. “Will you stand still for just one minute, dumbass?!” Kageyama scolded him.

Hinata whined, latching onto Kageyama’s hand as he tried to pry it off. “I can’t help it! I’m nervous!” He finally wiggled his way out of the hold, and Kageyama clicked his tongue. Hinata whirled around to face him. “I wanna know the results already!”

“Well, obviously we can’t know yet. Just _be patient_ ,” he snapped.

Hinata deflated, his shoulders drooping as a deep scowl found its way to his face. He knew that, but it didn’t help with the anxious energy in his body at the moment. He looked into Kageyama’s glare, the two of them challenging for a few silent seconds before Kageyama squeezed his eyes shut and turned his head away.

Kageyama sighed, his head tilting down. “We’ll be fine,” he muttered, his eyes still closed. “We played the best that we could, that’s all that matters.”

Hinata stared at the taller man, seeing the crease between Kageyama’s brows. He sighed himself, running a hand through his orange locks just as the announcers spoke up.

“Alright folks, the results are in!” one of the announcers exclaimed. A buzzing hush fell across the venue, and Hinata perked up just as Kageyama did, the man finally lifting his head up. He took a quick look around him, seeing Suga clutching onto Daichi’s arm. The other bands, however, didn’t look stressed out in the slightest, continuing their casual conversation softly as the announcers began calling out the names of the bands who passed preliminaries.

“The Grand Court…” was the first band called out that Hinata recognized amongst the names.

Hinata heard Oikawa make a soft hum to himself. The announcers began listing more band names that Hinata didn’t know.

“The Currents…” was then announced, and Bokuto whooped loudly, his voice seemingly echoing around the large room. Akaashi immediately shushed him.

Dread seeped its way into his chest as more names were called out over the speakers. _What if we didn’t make it? Would I still be in the band? Or would they get rid of me just like that, was I really not good enough?_

The list continued until the announcer stopped. Hinata’s heart banged in his chest and it rang in his ears. _This is really it_ , he thought. His head hung low just as the announcer spoke once more.

“And, last but certainly not least,” the announcer called out, “Take Flight! Thank you to all of the bands that came out today, and congratulations to those who made it through to the main part of the competition! We will see you all…”

Hinata froze. _Did they just say…_

A scream erupted from behind him, and he whipped around just as Suga leapt into Daichi’s open arms. They spun around excitedly and Hinata’s eyes finally widened in realization.

His hands started to shake. 

“Oh my god, we…” he trailed off as he looked over to Kageyama just as the man turned his head to him. They both broke out into huge smiles and, without thinking, crashed into each other.

Suddenly, Hinata’s feet weren’t touching the ground as Kageyama squeezed his arms around his middle, pulling him into a tight hug.

When they pulled back, Kageyama placing Hinata back onto the ground after their brief but ecstatic hug, the taller man realized what he had just done and his face bursted into red. Hinata laughed lightly at the cute sight, immediately shaking his head at the random thought. A hand slapped onto his back, and he turned around to see Kuroo staring down at him. 

“Congrats, Chibi!”

Then, Bokuto was at their side as well. “Guys! Oh my god, I can’t believe it! We’re gonna have so much fun tonight!”

“Tonight?” Daichi questioned, his arm wrapped around an excited Suga’s waist.

“The bands who make it into the competition get to go to an exclusive club the night after preliminaries,” Iwaizumi chimed in, arms crossed over his chest as he stood beside Matsukawa.

“Yes! It’s always so much fun, you guys _have_ to come!!” Bokuto cheered, jumping up and down on the balls of his feet

Suga laughed, resting his head on Daichi’s shoulder as he spoke. “Well, that would be a lot of fun, hm?” he asked, looking up to Daichi.

“Perfect,” Kuroo said with a smirk, he and Bokuto wrapping their arms over each other’s shoulders, “we’ll see you all there at 9 then.”

“Yes! Let’s get ready to fuck shit up!” Bokuto exclaimed as he and Kuroo began walking out of the venue. He heard Akaashi quietly scold “Koutarou” for his language as the band walked away. Other groups of people were also making their way out.

It still felt surreal, though. They made it. They made it into the competition, and he would still be able to play with all of them.

He looked over to Kageyama, the man looking at his hands with an excited expression and wobbly smile on his face. His own lips pulled into a smile.

“Let’s go Suga-san! I wanna go to the club!” he exclaimed jumping up to the man’s side, hearing Tsukishima groan behind him.

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> Hope y'all enjoyed this! And look forward to the next two chapters!! They're gonna be wild hehehehe


	12. Slow Dancing in the Dark Pt. 1

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> Just a little disclaimer I don’t really listen to club/EDM music lmfao so like I just didn’t really bother, most of the songs for this chapter and the next are just from my playlists as always oops– feel free to listen to the music in my Take Flight! playlist on Spotify while reading to ~immerse~ yourself.
> 
> In the words of Bokuto, let’s fuck shit up.

They walked past the burly bouncer and into the dark room. The bass thundered and lights flashed all around them, illuminating silhouettes of bodies like taking snapshots of their movements. It was almost too warm and smelled disgustingly sweet of alcohol and sweat. 

Hinata, though, walked into the large club excitedly. The song currently filling the club was in a foreign language, but the beat seemed to match with Hinata’s racing heart. He hopped on the balls of his feet, loving how the music seemed to surround his entire body.

Suga and Daichi led them further in, pushing past people who mingled on the edge of the dance floor to get to the group of circular tables that separated the sea of dancing bodies and the long bar.

Once Hinata, Kageyama, and Tsukishima settled onto a table, Suga shouted to them over the loud music. “Order drinks, have fun!” he called out before grabbing onto Daichi’s arm and dragged the larger man to the dance floor, slipping in and out of sight quickly.

Hinata stared after them, slightly confused by the abrupt departure. Suga sure seemed excited about coming to the club, so maybe he was just eager to get some dancing done. But then, he heard Tsukishima groan.

“I hope they don’t fuck in there.”

Hinata’s eyes widened, his head whipping back to Tsukishima and mouth agape in surprise. He hadn’t been expecting a comment like that coming from Tsukishima’s mouth, but he had to be joking, right? Suga and Daichi wouldn’t–

“I don’t know, Suga had that look in his eyes,” Kageyama mumbled with no ounce of joking in his tone. Hinata’s eyebrows furrowed together, thoughts wondering if Suga trying to have sex with Daichi in public was a common enough occurrence that the two of them could now recognize it. But instead of continuing the conversation, Tsukishima pulled out his phone and Kageyama began playing with a strand of hair at the front of his bangs, his eyes going cross-eyed as he tried to look at the piece between his fingers.

Hinata sighed. He should have known his bandmates wouldn’t want to have any _actual_ fun at the club. And he hadn’t seen Bokuto or anyone else he knew yet, so he was stuck here sitting at a table with Scowl #1 and Scowl #2. He wasn’t sure who was #1 and who was #2, though.

He looked over to Kageyama, seeing the man still playing with the strand of his hair.

“Kageyama, let’s go dance.”

The man’s blue eyes widened before he dropped the strand and fixed a grumpy glare onto Hinata. _Kageyama is definitely #1_ , he decided.

“No.”

“C’mon, Bakageyama,” he whined, extending his vowels just to be extra annoying. “It’s so boring just sitting here. You’re being like Stingyshima.”

Kageyama grumbled out incoherent words as he crossed his arms over his chest, but made no other indication of moving.

Hinata let out a long groan, slightly surprised that Tsukishima hadn’t told him to shut up. He let his head fall to the top of the table, closing his eyes and just listening to the music as a new song came on. He stayed there for a bit until his boredom became absolutely unbearable.

He snapped up in his chair, seeing Kageyama now inspecting his cuticles.

“Come on! We have to dance if we’re at a club!”

Kageyama sighed, dropping his hand onto the table and closing his eyes as he spoke. “Look, Hinata, I don’t da–“

Hinata gasped, effectively cutting off the other man. “Look!” he shouted over the bass, pointing toward the dance floor where he just spotted two familiar faces. “Akaashi and Bokuto are dancing!”

“Yes, but they’re–”

“Let’s go!” he cut Kageyama off once more, earning him a pretty decent death glare. He paid it no mind, though, as he snatched Kageyama’s hand and pulled him out of his chair. He yanked the reluctant man into the crowd of sweaty bodies, the temperature rising a few degrees in a matter of seconds. Hinata stopped somewhere in the middle and was immediately pushed close to Kageyama, the two of them standing chest to chest.

Hinata began dancing, swaying his hips and moving his arms as the music picked up, making the air all around him vibrate. Unfortunately, Kageyama just stood there awkwardly, looking at anything but Hinata as his eyes darted nervously from side to side.

Without dwelling on it, Hinata grabbed Kageyama’s hands and pulled him closer so their chests bumped together. His hands slithered up the man’s arms and came to rest at the nape of his neck.

“Just copy them!” he yelled, grabbing the taller man’s chin and forcing it to look to the side. A few people away from them were Bokuto and Akaashi. The two were in a similar position, chest to chest and hips to hips. Their foreheads rested on each other’s as they swayed to the music, seemingly completely lost in one another and the bass. Akaashi leaned his head back, exposing his neck to Bokuto and looking ethereal under the flashing white lights.

Kageyama’s face blushed scarlet in his hold, and the man began stuttering as Hinata let go of his chin, saying how Akaashi and Bokuto were a couple, so it was fine if they danced like that.

In middle of song, it transitioned to the next one, this one slower and with a more sensual beat.

“Kageyama.”

Blue eyes met his, wide with maybe something akin to fear. Kageyama’s mouth was slightly agape, but Hinata just put his hands back to clasp around the taller man’s neck.

“Just dance,” Hinata commanded simply as he pulled Kageyama to him once more, pressing their bodies together before he started moving his hips to the music. Hinata led their hips to the beat, moving with each other slowly. Kageyama was surprisingly pliant to his movements, not making any protests and just silently going along with it.

Hinata snuck a glance at Kageyama, but the man wasn’t looking at him. His eyes were downcast, and Hinata thought that maybe he had overstepped their boundaries by forcing Kageyama to dance with him. 

But then Hinata felt a hesitant hand slowly move its way to rest lightly at Hinata’s left hip. It didn’t move from there for a bit and didn’t grow in pressure, as if Kageyama was scared he could break Hinata. He knew Kageyama didn’t really know what he was doing right now, so he encouraged the touch by grabbing his hand and sliding it along his lower back so Kageyama’s arm wrapped around him. Much to his surprise, once again, Kageyama kept him in his hold like that and even pulled him closer the tiniest amount.

Time seemed to slow down around them.

The flashing lights shrouded Hinata’s vision as he stared at Kageyama’s collarbone, feeling the weight of Kageyama’s arm at his back.

He tilted his head up slightly, immediately finding Kageyama staring down at him. His breath caught in his throat. They peered into each other’s eyes, and Hinata got lost in the intense stare. Maybe he was just imagining it, but their faces slowly drew closer. He felt Kageyama’s warm breath on his face, just like it had earlier in the day after they had finished singing. Hinata felt his heart thrum in his ears. Maybe it was just the bass or the adrenaline, but he couldn’t be completely sure what was causing it.

Their noses were nearly touching when he suddenly felt someone tap on his shoulder.

Like a spell being broken, Hinata blinked and spun around to see who had wanted his attention.

His breath caught once more, but for a different reason, as he was met with a face he hadn’t seen in years.

“Atsumu?”

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> Okay so this chapter was purposefully shorter than normal because I wanted the ~suspense~  
> Catch y’all next chapter ;) (which will be a lot longer I promise)
> 
> And if you don't have spotify but want to know the songs, here they are in order:  
> Drank & Drugs - Lil Kleine, Ronnie Flex  
> Isolate - Sub Urban  
> Erode - TENDER


	13. Slow Dancing in the Dark Pt. 2

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> This chapter took me so long to write smh, sorry for the wait but here we are! That angst tag finally getting put to use oop–  
> (TW: depiction of a slight panic attack, if you can’t/don’t want to read that stop reading at “Everything Oikawa was not.” and skip to “Oikawa’s mind had been playing…”. Just message me/comment and I can summarize that part without the heavy descriptions!)  
> I hope y'all enjoy this chapter!
> 
> EDIT: I added more stuff between Oikawa and the boys because I realized they have like no interactions in this fic??? The blasphemy.

The bass boomed in his ears, shaking his bones and chattering his teeth. Tsukishima could appreciate a good, hard baseline, but right now, the insistent throbbing of the music around him was giving him a headache.

He did not want to be here right now. In this club, surrounded by people he barely tolerated and faces he couldn’t recognize. The smell of alcohol and sweat emanated from every corner of the club, making him nauseous. He just wanted to go home.

Tsukishima watched as Suga dragged Daichi by the hand into the throng of bodies. The two immediately gravitated to each other, holding one another close as they moved their bodies in tandem. Tsukishima flicked his eyes away from the scene, making his comment before huffing out a little sigh. He pulled his phone out of his pocket as he slid further down his seat.

He was annoyed. The blonde could feel the irritation building up within him, crawling up his spine and edging at his brain. He couldn’t pinpoint the cause of his frustration, but he assumed it was the entire situation he currently found himself in. He barely registered the noisy bickering between his two other bandmates seated across from him as he tapped on Yamaguchi’s contact.

Tsukishima was annoyed and he definitely did not want to be here anymore, so he figured Yamaguchi would be a good scapegoat.

**To: Yamaguchi Tadashi**

Are you doing anything right now?

Tsukishima watched as his text delivered, and then placed the phone down in front of him. He slouched lower in his chair, spreading out his long legs and leaned his head back to rest on the chair. He stared up at the high ceiling of the club, colorful lights dancing around in the darkness. Yamaguchi was probably cuddled up in there dorm right now, studying or watching one of his stupid rom-coms. Tsukishima really didn’t have a taste for those type of movies, but it always made Yamaguchi happy when they watched them together, so he found himself watching the disgustingly sweet and far-from-reality movies more often than not. And while he did find the rom-coms irritating, he relented that it was nice to just watch something with his best friend, curled up in too many blankets on the floor of their dorm, sipping hot cocoas and munching on microwave popcorn.

Tsukishima, after maybe five minutes, realized he had been spacing out. He sat up in his chair, reaching for his phone on the table. The screen lit up as he checked, but no notification appeared. He felt his eyebrows furrow as he opened up his messages. 

Yamaguchi rarely ever didn’t text him back, if anything he texted him back _too_ fast. _He must be studying_ , Tsukishima figured as he began typing out another text.

**To: Yamaguchi Tadashi**

Yamaguchi?

Tsukishima tapped the send button. He held his phone in his hand, waiting for the three little dots to show up on on his screen. But even after a few minutes, they never came. His left leg began to bounce as he stared at his phone. He brought a hand up to his mouth, gently gnawing at the nail of his pointer finger. Something must be wrong. Yamaguchi _always_ responded, even if he was deep into studying.

**To: Yamaguchi Tadashi**

Are you okay?

Tsukishima’s anxiety continued to boil, growing with every second that no reply came.

**To: Yamaguchi Tadashi**

I’m coming home.

He frantically typed out before shoving his phone into his pocket and getting up from his chair. Tsukishima finally noticed he was alone at the table, his bandmates nowhere in sight. He let out an irritated groan and decided he’d just text Suga, telling him he went home. The blonde left the club as quickly as possible, getting a few glares as he bumped chests and pushed past shoulders, but he paid them no mind. 

He finally stepped out into the street. The muffled thrum of the bass poured through the walls of the building behind him. A small shiver went up his spine and he hugged his arms. He was so dumb for not thinking to bring a jacket. Even though it was now March, the cold had still stuck around and was now clinging to his bones.

Tsukishima successfully called for a cab and huffed as he slouched back into the squeaky, leather seat. His fingers thrummed on his thigh. The cab driver hummed along to the obnoxious pop music that blasted from the radio, and the sound scratched on his ears. 

He was getting too worked up. Tsukishima closed his eyes and took in a deep breath. He was hyperaware of the phone nestled in his pocket, trying to feel for any vibrations. 

He was probably just overreacting. Maybe Yamaguchi had fallen asleep; it was pretty late.

Excuses and thoughts of reason clouded his thoughts the entire way to the university. After he thanked and paid the driver, he walked up toward his dorm building a lot calmer than when he had been leaving the club. The logical answer was that Yamaguchi was just fine and had just fallen asleep or didn’t have his phone. 

He watched white fog curl out from his mouth as he sighed. _I’m usually better than this_ , he thought.

Tsukishima entered the heated dorm building, shaking the cold from his body. As he entered the elevator, he realized how tired he actually was. He was _exhausted,_ so much so that he just wanted to talk to Yamaguchi and have the boy calm him down. Maybe they could even watch a movie tonight if his friend wasn’t already asleep. 

He removed his glasses to rub at his eyes as the elevator dinged. The blonde slowly stalked toward his dorm room. He pulled out his dorm key from his wallet before he reached the door.

And then he heard a laugh.

His arm stopped immediately, the key hanging in the air just before the lock. He stared wide-eyed at his door. _What the fu–_ His thought was cut off by another bright laugh coming from _inside his dorm._ Before he could think, he slammed the key into the lock and swung the door open. 

His breath caught.

Yamaguchi sat on the floor of their dorm, wrapped up in a blanket and nestling a mug of steaming liquid. What had caught Tsukishima’s attention, however, was not Yamaguchi. It was the _other_ guy currently seated on the floor. The boy, with a blonde-dyed undercut and many piercings, currently had an arm lazily hanging around Yamaguchi’s shoulders as they both faced a laptop.

Tsukishima stood there in the doorway, staring.

“Oh, Tsukki!” Yamaguchi squealed excitedly when he finally noticed the blonde. “I din’t know you were coming home already!”

Tsukishima just stared. He couldn’t believe it. He had been worried to death about Yamaguchi, and yet the boy was sitting in their dorm room cuddling with some _guy_ Tsukishima’s never even seen before. He could feel the irritation from earlier tonight come back in full force. 

“I texted you,” he stated in a clipped tone. His teeth clenched together, causing the muscle in his jaw to jump.

“Oh! Sorry, I hadn’t looked at my phone! Teru has just been showing me these _hilarious_ videos on YouTube!” he said as he laughed.

Tsukishima’s eyes flicked to _Teru_ as the guy joined in Yamaguchi’s laughter, slightly pulling the brown-haired boy closer. After a second, the pierced guy finally noticed Tsukishima’s very evident glaring.

A smooth smirk grew on the guy’s face as he spoke, his arm still around Yamaguchi. “Hey, I’m Terushima Yuuji. Nice to meet you…?” he trailed off with a raised brow.

Tsukishima bristled. _Yamaguchi already had a nickname for this guy?_ “Tsukishima,” he replied curtly.

The two continued to stare at each other, angry glare meeting haughty smirk, until Yamaguchi chuckled nervously, sensing the awkward tension.

“So,” Yamaguchi started, “how was the after party?” He was speaking gently, probably sensing Tsukishima’s impending annoyance. 

Even though he appreciated the boy’s attentiveness, he was still pissed. This Terushima guy was already getting on his nerves and he reminded himself that Yamaguchi had never texted him back.

“Terrible.” 

He saw Yamaguchi flinch back slightly at Tsukishima’s cold tone, but he didn’t have it in himself right now to feel guilty. He turned his gaze back to Terushima, but continued to address his friend. “What is he doing here.” It was worded as a question, but he said it like a demand.

“Tsukki,” Yamaguchi said slowly. “Please, calm down, Teru just came over to do some work for comp sci and we ended up hanging out.”

Terushima’s eyes flicked between the boy in his arm and Tsukishima, still standing menacingly in the doorway. Something seemed to click in his mind as his eyes widened and he hurriedly pulled his arm from Yamaguchi’s shoulders. The fake-blonde scrambled up to his feet quickly.

“Uhhh,” he cleared his throat, standing awkwardly, “sorry man, I didn’t realize.” His eyes flicked between the two again before he continued. Yamaguchi looked up to the guy with a look of confusion, but Tsukishima knew what Terushima had come to conclude. “Uh, I’ll see you in class Yamaguchi.”

“Wait, wha-”

But with that small departure, Terushima pushed past the tall blonde, his eyes trained on the floor, before Yamaguchi finished speaking.

Tsukishima watched him as he briskly walked out of the small dorm. He waited a moment before turning back to look at Yamaguchi. However, what he saw was not something he was expecting.

Yamaguchi was _mad_. Like genuinely, seriously mad at him right now. The boy’s top lip curled as his face contorted into a grimace. He got up to his feet and came up to stand right in front of Tsukishima.

“What the _fuck_ , Tsukki? What was that for?” he asked, anger lacing his words.

Tsukishima just stared at the slightly shorter boy, dumbfounded. He didn’t have an answer, not exactly sure what the question was exactly, so he stayed silent.

This was seemingly a bad choice, as Yamaguchi bristled. “You always do this! You always act like a big _jerk_!” Yamaguchi was yelling at him, his face getting flushed. In any other circumstance, Tsukishima probably would have found it endearing. “Why did you scare him away like that? What, am I not allowed to have other friends?”

Tsukishima’s brain finally decided to kick back into overdrive. Just because the gears were turning again, didn’t mean he was exactly thinking rationally, though. 

He scoffed, irritation edging in the back of his mind. He glared down at the boy. “Are you stupid? He doesn’t want to be your friend.”

The statement took Yamaguchi by shock. He deflated slightly, backing down from his earlier bravado and anger as he leaned back slightly. “What?” the boy asked quietly as he stared wide-eyed.

Tsukishima bristled. How _dense_ could this kid be? “I _said_ , he doesn’t want to just _be friends_ with you. Did you even notice how he was sitting with you?” Tsukishima asked as his voice began to rise. “Guys like that don’t just want to be friends with guys like you. He’s trying to take advantage of you.”

Confusion and offense flashed onto Yamaguchi’s face, as his mouth dropped open slightly and his brows furrowed. “Are you kidding me, Tsukki? ‘Guys like me’?” he asked incredulously. “What’s that supposed to mean? Huh?”

Tsukishima just continued to glare. He crossed his arms over his chest as he leaned down slightly, growling out, “You know what it means.”

Yamaguchi continued to stare up at him, fully offended before his face hardened. His mouth snapped shut and his jaw muscle jutted. “Well,” he said, “it’s not there’s any reason for me to actually stop him is there?” 

Tsukishima hadn’t been expecting the question. He wanted to believe that he didn’t actually understand the question, but, deep down, he knew. He knew what Yamaguchi was asking. Of course he knew. 

But… he couldn’t.

Tsukishima broke their eye contact, deciding to stare at his toes. He felt exhausted and deflated, but he just couldn’t bring himself to stop before he said, “I guess not. Do whatever you want, I don’t even care.”

After he mumbled out those words, he wanted to swallow them back down. But they were already out their in the open. 

Pregnant moments of silence and tension followed, and finally Tsukishima brought himself to glance at Yamaguchi’s face. The boy looked on the verge of tears, mouth contorted into a terrible frown that was never meant to ever grace his face. Tsukishima’s heart broke.

And then, pain shot through Tsukishima’s left cheek. His ears rang from the loud sound that resounded in the room. Tsukishima stared off to the side, wide-eyed as he realized Yamaguchi _slapped_ him _._

He slowly turned his head back to look at Yamaguchi and tears were now sliding from the boy’s eyes. Tsukishima couldn’t do anything but stare in horror as the silent sobs shook the smaller man’s shoulders.

A small cry left Yamaguchi right when he parted his lips.

“Fuck you, Tsukishima.”

Before he could even register what had just happened, Yamaguchi was no longer in front of him and he heard the door slam shut behind him, shaking the walls of the small room.

He stood there, glued to his spot, unbelieving of what had just transpired.

_What the fuck did I just do?_

* * *

The fog in his mind was finally dissipating, albeit slowly.

Kageyama’s mind had completely stopped working while dancing with Hinata, and he hadn’t even realized what his body was doing, just that it felt right. Having Hinata’s body pressed to his felt _right_ , and that thought made him want to punch the shorter boy now.

Bodies were still dancing all around him as he stood still. Hinata had left him. That stupid little orange-haired dumbass had left him all alone on the dance floor that _he_ had dragged him to. 

Kageyama finally moved. He angrily bumped and pushed people, gaining irritated glares, but he really could not give a shit. Hinata had left him to go talk to some guy with ugly blonde hair that had called him ‘ _Shouyou_ ’. How did it seem that, even though Kageyama felt that he was the one always by his side, everyone else got to call Hinata by his given name?

He pushed out of the sea, coming up to their empty table. No Tsukishima and definitely no Hinata. He took in a sharp inhale. Now he was really alone, and his one wish was that he didn’t run into anyone from The Grand Court while he was.

Kageyama made his way over to the long bar. He stopped at one edge of it, standing behind two people seated in the stools because the entire thing was crowded. 

“Excuse me,” he said, causing the two men to look over their shoulders at him. However, right when their eyes landed on them, they froze.

“Ah, s-sorry man,” the first guy said before standing up from his stool. He slid past Kageyama, the other man following suit, and then the two were quickly out of sight. Kageyama looked on in confusion at the weird behavior, but he decided to pay it no mind and took the now empty stool. 

He waved down the bartender, causing the red-haired man to come over his way.

“What happened to you, pretty boy?” the bartender asked, sidling up in front of Kageyama and resting his elbows on the bar.

Kageyama’s eyebrows furrowed. “What?” he questioned, but it accidentally came out harsher than he had wanted.

The bartender merely laughed, throwing his head back. “Man, you look fucking pissed, dude,” the man said with a leering smirk. “You’re scaring my customers away.”

Kageyama glanced over to look down the bar, finding eyes on him that quickly retreated once he looked back at them. He clicked his tongue, he hadn’t even realized he was making a scary face. _I guess that’s why those two guys left._

He sighed. “Give me something strong,” he muttered. 

The bartender beamed. “You got it, handsome,” he called before turning around to grab a few bottles from the rack. 

Kageyama rubbed at his temple, trying not to allow his mind to think too much as he waited for the drink. It didn’t take long, the bartender coming back to lean in front of Kageyama.

“Here you go, a Black Honey,” he said impishly, placing a round, stout glass in front of Kageyama that contained dark amber liquid.

He picked up the glass, inspecting the liquid from the side before taking a tentative sip. It was bitter, making him clench his jaw and suck on his teeth. But then, as it went down, a sweetness of honey hit him and warmth filled his chest. 

It felt good.

He downed the entire drink in one gulp, slamming the glass down onto the bar top once he was done. “Two more,” he growled out, sliding the glass to the bartender. 

The bartender caught it easily, but his eyes were slightly wide. Another sly smirk pulled at his lips. “Right on it.”

Once the two glasses were in front of him, Kageyama threw a couple bills down onto the bar while mumbling a thank you. He grabbed the drinks and moved to sit back at his empty table. 

He sat there, sipping at his drinks and watching the sea of bodies dance in the flashing lights. He really tried his best not to think about it, but as his mind grew fuzzy from the strong alcohol, all he could think about was Hinata. And it pissed him off. He wasn’t exactly sure why he was feeling so angry. Kageyama wanted to say that it was because Hinata had just left him alone on the dance floor when it had been the man's idea to dance, but in his gut, he knew that wasn’t the full story.

Not wanting to think about it anymore, he gulped down the last half of his second drink. He was now feeling a very nice buzz, his limbs tingly and his chest warm. His mind was too muddled to decipher his feelings, so he didn’t bother. All he knew was that he was pissed, and it was Hinata’s fault somehow.

He got up from the table, walking out of the bar on slightly unsteady legs. He successfully called a cab, getting back to campus in what had felt like an instant. As Kageyama walked into his dorm, his frustration was suddenly weighed down with heavy exhaustion. He flopped onto his shitty dorm mattress face first, which now felt like heaven, and fell asleep within minutes.

His dreams were haunted by images of slender hips and brown eyes.

* * *

Kuroo sat with Kenma in a booth tucked into the corner of the club. He was glad the music wasn’t too obnoxious, relaxing into the leather cushions across from Kenma as he took a sip of his Sidecar. The blonde-dyed boy was nursing his own Rum and Coke while tapping at his DS. Akaashi and Bokuto were off dancing, the two of them disappearing right when they had entered the club.

He took another sip just as Kenma sighed. “Why did I have to come, again?”

Kuroo sat up, resting his head in his hand as he leaned on the table top. “C’mon, it’s good to get out very once in a while. Your doting fans will understand if you take one night off from streaming,” he said, smiling sweetly at the other boy.

Kenma stole a brief glance at Kuroo before going back to his game. “That’s not the concern I’m referring to and you know it,” he quipped drily, but Kuroo could sense the trepidation in his demeanor. Of course he knew how Kenma felt about crowded public places.

“I know, Ken, sorry. But just try to relax and have a few drinks. If you still want to leave in a bit, we can go.”

Kenma’s eyes were still glued to the DS in his hands, but Kuroo watched as he took his bottom lip between his teeth. The boy soon nodded, grabbing his glass to take a big gulp before going back to his game.

Kuroo smiled easily, unabashedly watching the smaller boy as he played his game. He let his eyes wander, mapping out every detail in Kenma’s features. The lights danced across his skin, giving the man an ethereal look. His hair had gotten longer, now curling just past his shoulders and framing his face delicately. His long lashes fanned over his eyes gently, the irises still sharp as ever even as a slight flush from the alcohol took over his cheeks.

After a few minutes of them sitting in comfortable silence and sipping at their respective drinks, Kuroo noticed a slight sway of Kenma’s head. His smile widened at the endearing sight.

Then, the music changed and Kuroo perked up at the familiar song.

His smile slipped into its usual smirk. “Kenmaaaa,” he drawled out, stretching his long arms out so his hands hung off the table on Kenma’s side of the booth. “Wanna dance?”

Kenma sighed, but much to his surprise, the man closed his DS with a click and looked at him fully. “Kuro, you know I don’t want to dance with all those people.”

“I know, Ken, we can just dance over here,” he said as his fingers began to play with the sleeve of Kenma’s (really Kuroo’s) hoodie. He flicked his head to the side, gesturing to the empty space next to their booth. Kenma’s brows furrowed slightly, his eyes flicking around the area to see if there were people around. Only a few club goers were around them, but all too occupied in their own conversations or with making out. “C’mon, Ken,” he said, sliding from his side of the booth. He tugged at Kenma’s arm, and when no sounds of protest came, he helped the boy come out fully as well. He kept his hand in his grasp, pulling Kenma close to place his other at his lower back. Kenma easily placed his own hand atop Kuroo’s shoulder.

The two of them began slow dancing as the music boomed around them and the energy in the club thrummed. It really wasn’t a song to slow dance to, but Kuroo couldn’t care less. He pushed Kenma away gently, grabbing both of his hands before pulling one up to make him spin. The move left the tipsy boy giggling, and Kuroo suddenly felt like he had been hit by a freight train. It was so cute. Kenma was so cute and always left him breathless, barely able to stand.

He had the strongest urge to just grab his head between his hands and kiss Kenma until he was nothing but putty in his hands. But he couldn't do it. Kenma was drunk, and even if he had been sober, PDA definitely was not his thing. So, Kuroo could wait just a little bit longer until he could truly hold the boy in his arms like he wanted to.

Once returned to their original position, Kenma laid his head gently on Kuroo’s shoulder. They continued to sway gently to the bass, until Kenma let out a loud yawn. It was cute, like a tired cat yawning after waking from a nap in the sun. Kenma placed his forehead back on Kuroo’s shoulder, and his breath caught as the scent of Kenma’s shampoo hit him.

“I’m tired, Kuro,” Kenma murmured, his hot breath fanning across his chest. “Let’s go home.”

_Home._

Kuroo placed a hand on Kenma’s head and gently stroked at his hair. “Sure kitten, grab your stuff and we can go.”

Kenma nodded, moving away from Kuroo’s grasp to grab his DS. As he did so, Kuroo sent a quick text to Akaashi and Bokuto, telling them that they were heading back to campus. Once Kenma was at his side once more, he placed his hand at the small of Kenma’s back and led them out of the club.

* * *

They stood off to the side after finding some empty corridor toward the back of the club. The music was muffled here, allowing for them to talk with a normal volume. 

“It’s good to see you, Shouyou. It’s been a while, huh?”

Atsumu stood in front of Hinata, and he honestly couldn’t believe it. Hinata continued to stare at the man, thinking that if he looked away for even a second, Atsumu would disappear into thin air like a figment of his imagination. Even after all these years, Atsumu still looked like he did back then, albeit more mature. The same strong jaw, round eyes, and his blonde-dyed hair. Even that perfect smile of his that was currently on his face.

Hinata didn’t respond, deciding to stay quiet since he couldn’t trust his words right now.

“So, uh,” Atsumu continued, “who was that you were dancing with?” he asked casually, seemingly trying to make small-talk. “You two seemed close.”

“That’s none of your business,” Hinata bit out before he could think better of it, suddenly feeling defensive about Kageyama.

Atsumu’s eyes widened a fraction, probably not expecting that response, and he brought a hand to rub at the back of his neck sheepishly. “Sorry, that was out of line, just, it used to be my business,” he said whilst looking directly into Hinata’s eyes, and the shorter man felt an involuntary shiver go up his spine.

“What are you doing here?” Hinata really couldn’t understand why Atsumu had shown up now, and here of all places. Hadn’t he wished for a day like this to come, where he’d run into Atsumu again and finally get a chance to talk to him? To ask for an explanation? But now that it was actually here, Hinata wanted nothing more than to walk away.

“Ah, I should be asking you that,” he began. “I had seen you performing today at the preliminaries for the Tokyo Spring Competition. I was really surprised since I’d never seen you participate in it before.”

This time, Hinata’s eyes widened. “You were there?” he asked in disbelief.

“Yeah, this is my second year competing,” Atsumu said and Hinata’s mind scratched to a halt. _There was no way… was Atsumu still with them even after all these years?_

“Oh,” Hinata replied dumbly as his thoughts continued to reel. There was too much for him to think about, too many questions bouncing around in his mind that he’d probably never receive the answers for.

“Uh, yeah,” Atsumu continued with an awkward clear of his throat. “Look, Shouyou, um, I just wanted to say hi.” He smiled easily at Hinata, but Hinata couldn’t return the sentiment. “Seeing you today had made me really happy, and I was so excited to hopefully see you tonight. It’s been way too long.”

“And who’s fault is that,” Hinata muttered without hesitation, years of built up emotions spiking to the surface. The comment made Atsumu visibly flinch back, however, and Hinata instantly regretted his impulsive response at the sight. It was aggravating that Atsumu was only now speaking to him after everything and that he was dancing around their past like a timid ballerina. But he knew Atsumu, and while the man made it seem as though he was a cool and composed person, he was just like any other young man with his own fears. Hinata took in a deep breath, trying to calm himself.

After a moment of silenced shock, Atsumu mouthed around silent words. “Shouyou, I–," he finally managed to get out.

“Sorry,” he cut him off, shaking his head and raising a hand, “I didn’t mean to be harsh.” He took in another steadying breath. “It was a long time ago and we were young.”

“Yeah, but I’m so–“

“It’s fine, Atsumu, really.” Hinata looked off to the side, not wanting to stare at the all too familiar face from his past anymore. “It was great seeing you, and I’m glad you’re doing well. I guess I’ll see you at the competition,” he bid as his goodbye, walking away from the ghost that had haunted his dreams for years.

Hinata reentered the club, the loud music now making his head pound and adding to his nauseousness. He made a b-line for the bathroom, feeling bile rise up in his throat as memories he had pushed down began to bubble up to the surface. Flashes of high school and life filled with Atsumu and reminders of wrenching heartbreak flooded his mind. 

He finally reached the bathrooms, rushing to the sink to splash water on his face. He turned the sink off, leaning his palms on the porcelain sink as he watched the water swirl down the drain.

Of course he would show up now. Hinata shook his head, he just couldn’t let Atsumu plague his mind and affect his playing. The only thing he needed to focus on right now was the competition.

Hinata then heard sniffling coming from the furthest stall in the bathroom. He rose from the sink, peering behind him toward the closed stall door. He wiped his face with the sleeve of his shirt. The stifled crying continued and, never being one to just let someone wallow in their sadness, he moved toward it.

“Hey, um, are you alright?” he called out to the closed door.

The sniffling continued, but a strong voice that made no indication to the person’s current state responded. “Yes, I’m just fine.”

Hinata froze, immediately recognizing the high lilt of the voice.

“Oikawa-san?”

The sniffling stopped abruptly. He heard shuffling and then after a bit of time, the stall door unlocked and slowly slid open.

* * *

Right as they entered the club, a frantic-looking Tsukishima whizzed past them, not paying any attention to his surroundings. Oikawa continued to watch the man’s back until he stepped out of the club, confused as that was probably the most emotion he’d ever seen on that man’s face. But he shrugged, turning back around to follow Iwaizumi, Hanamaki, and Matsukawa further into the club. Seeing the tall bassist meant Kageyama was most likely here as well.

“Tobio-chan must be here,” Oikawa cooed playfully as the four of them sat at the bar, taking up some empty bar stools.

“Leave him alone, Shittykawa,” Iwaizumi huffed, settling into the spot next to him. “Give the guy a break.”

Oikawa stuck his tongue out at the man. “You’re no fun, Iwa-chan.”

“I’m plenty of fun, you’re just an asshole.”

Oikawa huffed, turning his attention to the bartender with eccentrically-dyed red hair that was gelled up. He asked for a simple Manhattan before the others ordered their own drinks. Oikawa spun around in his stool, leaning his elbows back on the bar top to observe the rest of the club. It was crowded, especially for just a VIP event. Lights flashed all around them and the music was decent, welcoming the numbness the loud bass brought to his mind. It was the perfect atmosphere for a night of getting fucked up and having fun, and that was exactly what Oikawa planned to do. A drunken night of fun wasn’t too much to ask for, right?

He snuck a glance at Iwaizumi, the man now sipping a beer from the bottle. Oikawa spun back around, making a small noise of delight as he found his drink placed in front of him. 

“Thank you, Bartender-kun~!” he called out to the red-head, and the man sent him a wink in response. Oikawa picked up the small plastic sword from his martini glass, slipping the sweet cherry between his lips and taking a few bites before sipping the drink. The liquid was bitter, balancing nicely with the sweetness from the cherry, and Oikawa hummed softly to himself. He hadn’t had a professionally-made drink in quite a while, and it definitely was a treat.

“Twenty bucks they fuck in an unoccupied booth,” a deep voice whispered into his ear, hot breath fanning across the top of it. Oikawa repressed the urge to shiver as he turned his head to Iwaizumi. He cocked a questioning eyebrow, earning a small nod toward his other side in response. Oikawa snuck a glance beside him, seeing Hanamaki and Matsukawa speaking to each other in low voices, the latter’s hand not-so-subtly slowly trailing up Hanamaki’s thigh.

Oikawa took another sip from his drink, a smirk pulling at his lips. “So scandalous, Iwa-chan,” he said with a glint of playfulness in his eyes.

Iwaizumi scoffed, bringing his beer to his lips before responding. “You’re one to talk.”

"Yo, Iwa," Matsukawa's voice floated in, "how's that project coming along?" he asked, now leaning over Hanamaki a bit to talk to them. His hand still rested casually at the top of the other's thigh. 

Iwaizumi sighed, placing his glass back onto the bar top. "It's a pain in the ass, as per usual," he grunted, exasperated. "I've only got a few insects left, but it's been taking me _ages_ to identify the little fuckers and then sketch them out."

Oikawa made a face just as Iwaizumi took another swig of his beer. "I can't believe you willingly study those _things_ ," he said in disgust. 

Hanamaki let out a hearty laugh, Matsukawa letting out a few chuckles as well. "Do you guys remember that time in high school when Iwa found a bug, and then Oikawa totally _freaked_ out," the strawberry-brunette said in between laughs. He slapped a hand on the table, only getting louder as he continued. "And he screamed like a little 5-year-old boy!" He sighed contentedly, wiping an imaginary tear from the corner of his eye, "Oh, boy, what a good time."

Low chuckles came from Iwaizumi at his other side. Oikawa turned to look at him, seeing a faraway look in his eyes and a fond smile gracing his lips. "I remember that," he said, just loud enough to be barely heard over the music. "It was a just a regular old _Popillia Japonica_ , y'know the green metallic ones, but I thought it was really pretty because it reminded me of–," he said, cutting himself off abruptly as his eyes flicked up, meeting Oikawa's. 

Oikawa peered into green hazel eyes, comforted by the familiarity that was _Iwaizumi_ , but then he quickly looked away again. The man took a big gulp from his drink. 

"Man, that was a long time ago, huh?" Iwaizumi asked with a small chuckle, but Oikawa could tell there was something off about it. _What had he been about to say before that?_ But before he could ask, Hanamaki took the bait.

He groaned. "Ah, dude, don't bring up that melancholy shit now. You're gonna make me feel old," Hanamaki grumbled.

"You are old, Makki," Oikawa deadpanned.

"Hey, don't be rude to your elders," Matsukawa joined in, his tone bored but a smirk resting on his face.

"I'm only a few months older than you guys!"

"That means a few months closer to death than us," Iwaizumi muttered into his beer bottle, a small grin on his lips.

"Ah, how sad, we're going to lose Makki-chan soon because he's so old. What will this world do without him?" Oikawa poked, bringing a hand up to his forehead in mock dramatics. 

"You guys are all asshats," Hanamaki grumbled, downing the last bit of his drink. Matsukawa snickered, causing Hanamaki to whipped his head to the side and send a glare at the man. The two began talking to each other, Hanamaki berating while the other looked amused.

Oikawa let out a small sigh, bringing his drink to his lips to take another small sip.  "I swear you became an entomology major just to ruin my life," he let out lightly, again dramatizing his words with a huff.

Iwaizumi chuckled, looking at Oikawa through his peripherals. The man hummed, the sound rumbling from his chest. "Right, and not because I've been fascinated with insects since we were children?"

Oikawa clicked his tongue, flicking his hand. "You did that just to get at me as well. If I remember correctly, you only started looking for bugs so you could chase me around with them." That got him an actual laugh, Iwaizumi throwing his head back with a soft smile on his face. Oikawa nearly melted right then and there. It was such a nice sound, one he only rarely ever got to hear in full, especially recently. He only realized then how much he missed hanging out with Iwaizumi like this.

They'd both been so busy recently, whether it be with music, school, or just there _lives_ , and so it felt as though it had been ages since he'd been able to relax with the other man. And not to mention Iwaizumi's recent adventures with _one night stands_ , which Oikawa really tried not to think about too much.

Dying down, Iwaizumi faced him fully this time. He rested his arm on the bar, turning in his stool slightly so his body faced Oikawa as well. "Hm, maybe you're right," he said, putting his other hand over his mouth as if he were contemplating, "I did always enjoy hearing you scream." Oikawa's eyes widened, his mind screaming with the way the sentence was worded. _No, no, get your head out of the gutter, Iwa didn't even realize he said it like that–_

But then, the man dropped his hand, revealing a sly smile, and he sent him a small wink before facing the bar once more.

He felt his face heat up almost immediately. Iwaizumi was laughing lowly to himself, so Oikawa sent him a glare.  _Bastard_ , he thought as he finished off his drink.

He really shouldn't have, because now his mind was getting a little fuzzy _and_ he was thinking too much into the comment Iwaizumi just made. A very bad combination. But Oikawa had always been known for making poor decisions.

"Shots!" Hanamaki's voice butted in, his exclamation accentuated by him roughly placing two shot glasses in front of them. The clear liquid inside sloshed around a bit from the force.

"Shots," Matsukawa agreed, albeit less enthusiastically.

Iwaizumi immediately pushed the small glass away from himself, opening his mouth to protest.

"Nuh-uh! We're at a club, we're taking shots," Hanamaki demanded. 

Oikawa picked up his own glasses, pinching it between his thumb and middle finger, bringing it up to his lips and throwing his head back. He took the shot in one quick gulp, resisting the urge to shiver at the taste as it slid down his throat. He placed the glass back onto the bar top, hard, turning his gaze to Iwaizumi.

"C'mon, Iwa-chan, I thought you said you knew how to have _fun_ ," he teased with a sly smirk. The shorter man looked up at Oikawa with a hard glare, but Oikawa challenged it cooly, continuing to stare down at the man with an easy smile.  


After a few more seconds of their staring contest, Iwaizumi gave in, taking his own glass in his grasp and knocking the liquid back. Once he placed it back down, he turned back to Oikawa, and the look in his eyes _actually_ made Oikawa shiver.

Oh, he was totally fucked.

Hanamaki whooped behind him, him and Matsukawa taking their own shots. Rather quickly, four more shots were placed in front of them, but this time with blue liquid.

Hanamaki picked his up first, turning to Matsukawa. "If you will," he said, causing Matsukawa to smirk. The black-haired man picked up his own, immediately curling his arm around Hanamaki's, and the two of the took their shots as if they were sharing a piece of wedding cake. Oikawa turned his gaze back to Iwaizumi just as the man was downing his shot, and so Oikawa threw his own back, not wanting to get left behind. 

Once again, like magic, their glasses were replaced with more shots. Oikawa could very much feel the strong buzz in his head, his limbs feeling light and his chest warm.

"Ah, I don't know if I should–," he began, only to stop himself. He watched as Iwaizumi reached for one of the glasses, placing it on the bar right in front of him. The man then moved his arms, clasping them behind his back before he lowered his head to the glass. Hanamaki cheered behind him again, along with clapping which he assumed came form Matsukawa, but Oikawa couldn't tear his eyes away as Iwaizumi wrapped his lips around the glass, bringing it up and tipping his head back. His Adam's apple bobbed around the liquid with ease, before his placed the glass delicately back down.

"What were you saying?" Iwaizumi asked nonchalantly, as if he hadn't just put on a show for the entire club to see. Oikawa's couldn't even comprehend any of the thoughts in his mind. Not wanting to even _try_ to form words, he snatched up one of the shots and downed it.

After a few more shots– really, how did they just keep appearing?– Oikawa pushed off of the bar, nearly stumbling out of his stool as he clung onto Iwaizumi’s arm. The hard muscle felt nice under his palm.

“Iwa-chaaannn,” he whined, “let’s go dance!”

While Iwaizumi appeared more composed than Oikawa on the outside, he knew the man was just as drunk, his eyes glassed over and a faint blush fanning across his cheeks from the alcohol. And, without saying anything, Iwaizumi got up from his stool, tossing a few bills onto the counter for his and Oikawa’s drinks before allowing himself to be led to the dance floor.

They made their way into the middle of the crowd, immediately getting bumped by the bodies around them. It was warm and sticky, but the thrum of the music felt good and Oikawa let his mind go loose. His body moved to the music, his hips swaying and his arms moving about as he danced. Judging by their dancing abilities, they were far too drunk. But Oikawa’s mind was foggy from the alcohol and the intoxication of having Iwaizumi so close to him. He could smell the alcohol on Iwaizumi’s breath, and he soon became completely lost in the man before him. It was like a spotlight, and his vision tunneled to focus only on Iwaizumi as the lights flashed all around them.

It was dangerous. He was so in love with Iwaizumi that it was dangerous just to be this close to him, but he couldn’t help himself. There was no way he could stop at this point. He had no control over his body, and it seemed that Iwaizumi didn’t either. He wasn’t exactly sure if he should be happy or sad about that fact as he felt strong hands find its way to his lower back, pulling him in closer. Their breaths mixed together as they bumped and swayed to the music.

Then, Iwaizumi was peering up at him with half-lidded eyes, and Oikawa was completely and totally useless. He was so lost in this man, and the look sent a shockwave through his entire body.

“Oikawa,” Iwaizumi whispered out in a husky voice, and Oikawa’s knees nearly buckled at the sound.

At some point, they had moved in even closer to each other, Iwaizumi’s breathes panting over his lips. He’s still looking into Iwaizumi’s eyes, which flick down to look at his mouth. Oikawa’s mind went into overdrive, and he honestly couldn’t think properly at this point as Iwaizumi took over his senses. He closed his eyes.

And just like that, their mouths brushed and electricity shot straight through him. By just the slightest touch of their lips, he was ignited and his breath hitched. But before he could press further into the warmth, it was gone.

He slowly peeled his eyes open, his senses still overtaken. And then everything stopped.

His mind stopped.

Everybody around him _stopped_. 

His eyes widened at the sight before him, the world seeming to slow to halt. And then everything was blurring as he watched Iwaizumi make out with a random girl. She was short with long blonde hair and a feminine physique with soft curves and supple skin.

Everything Oikawa was not.

All of a sudden, he couldn’t breath. He felt a sharpness in the back of his eyes as his chest constricted. Aimlessly, he stumbled through the crowd, his body going numb, but not from the alcohol as whimpers started to slip past his lips. He ran to the bathroom, not able to contain the hysterical tears as they poured onto his cheeks and down his chin. Once inside, he slammed the stall door shut behind him and unceremoniously fell onto the ground. He didn’t even have the energy to think about how dirty the floor must have been as sobs racked his body.

Everything hurt so bad.

Oikawa began to hiccup, his chest rising and falling quickly as he hyperventilated. He bit down on his thumb hard to keep from crying out loud, and the taste of iron soon filled his mouth. _Fuck_ , he didn’t even know what to do at this point. He was still drunk, and he couldn’t even fully process the hurt he was feeling because of it.

He cried until he was dizzy and lightheaded. He wasn’t sure how long he had been there, crying until his eyes felt strained an his sobs had dwindled into sniffles. 

Oikawa’s mind had been playing the entire evening from start to finish on a constant loop, wondering where he had gone so wrong in the night for this to have been his fate. But maybe, he had fucked up sometime earlier, like weeks, months, or maybe even years ago. Had he really missed his chance to be with Iwaizumi? But then the almost kiss… Oikawa shook his head. He couldn’t think about that. He would just have to hope the memory of Iwaizumi’s lips touching his would fade with the alcohol and he could forget about it forever.

The universe truly was cruel.

He heard the bathroom door open, but he really couldn’t have been bothered, so he continued to sniffle to himself in the bathroom stall. The sound of the sink coming on echoed throughout the bathroom, and Oikawa let his head lean back onto the wall of the stall. His mind was reeling with thoughts and questions, regrets and reprimands even though he willed it to stop. But then, his wish came true as someone’s voice cut through it.

“Hey, um, are you alright?” a voice asked.

Oikawa sniffled before responding. “Yes, I’m just fine,” he said in a trained voice, rid of any shaking.

“Oikawa-san?” the voice asked, and he froze. _Shit_ , he thought, quickly rubbing at his face and picking himself up from the ground. He straitened his clothes and ran a hand through his hair before taking in a deep breath, unlatching the door and slowly pushing it open.

He is met with the sight of bright orange hair, and Oikawa isn’t exactly sure how to feel. He was glad it wasn’t someone who knew him better, but still, he was unnerved to allow someone like Hinata to see him in this state.

“Ah, Hinata,” he said, voice sly and full of false bravado in hopes of getting out of this situation with no questions asked, “to what do I owe the pleasure?” However, instead of answering, the small man just continued to stare right into Oikawa’s eyes. It was surprisingly intimidating, and he felt his smile falter. “Hinata?”

“Are you alright, Oikawa-san?”

His smile fell completely from his face. He wasn’t expecting to be asked that outright, especially from Hinata. Quickly, he put the pieces of his mask back together and threw a smirk at the boy. “Of course, my little Shou-chan. Better than ever. How could one ever feel anything other than goos with a face like mine?”

Hinata’s eyes narrowed slightly, and Oikawa wanted to shrink under the scrutiny. _Why couldn’t this kid just leave it alone?_ “I agree you are very attractive, Oikawa-san,” the boy replied, “but seriously, what’s wrong?”

Oikawa’s eye twitched. There was no way he was going to be having a heart-to-heart with a boy he just met in a rundown bathroom of a club. Absolutely no way. His eyes ran over Hinata, immediately noticing the tenseness in his shoulders and the hard set of his jaw which usually held a relaxed and chipper expression. _How odd._

“Well, why don’t I ask what’s wrong with _you_ , Chibi-chan. Something happen with my precious kouhai?” He knew it wasn’t his place to ask, but Hinata had started it with the too-personal questions, so the only way to get him to back off would be to give him a taste of his own medicine.

He watched as the shorter man’s eyes widened, before he let out a heavy sigh and looked away. _Very odd, indeed_ , he thought as Hinata spoke. “You’re just trying to change the subject,” the orange-haired boy murmured, still not looking at Oikawa.

He gave out a bark of harsh laughter. “Yes, well, obviously.” He ran a flippant hand through his hair as an easy smirk took on his features, even as his chest still burned. “Well, hope you have a great rest of your night,” he called out, deciding himself that the conversation was done. He walked out of the bathroom, his expression dark. He held his head to hang low as he walked through the people in the club, his fists clenching at his sides. Seeing Hinata had sobered him up too much, and now everything was beginning to hit him all out once, somehow even harder this time.

He quickly left the club, glad for the slight cold that hung around outside. He opted out of catching a cab, deciding to walk all the way back to campus. If he thought about it, he deserved to walk home. He had been stupid tonight, stupid for the past couple of years for hopelessly pining for his childhood best friend. 

Even though there was a lump in his throat, Oikawa would not allow himself to cry. He’d pitied himself enough tonight and, so, once he reached his studio apartment on the outskirts of campus, Oikawa immediately grabbed out his journal and began writing his feelings into a song.

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> I may be taking a bit of a break? Just because finals are coming up these next couple weeks and I don’t really wanna stress myself out even more lol, yeah so I’m really sorry but I may be taking a week or two off from updating but then we’ll be back on track :)


	14. Soft Spot

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> Ayyye what it do baby! I’m back! Those two weeks felt like 3 months honestly, but I’m finally done with the semester and I’m so glad to be back! Sorry for the late update, but this is a pretty long chapter so it took me longer to write than I expected. Hope y’all continue to like the story and, without further ado, here’s the new chapter :)

Hinata picked up his phone and, ignoring the fact that no notifications had shown on his lock screen, pressed on his messages. Really not to his surprise, he found no new texts. He groaned in frustration, clicking on his most recent conversation.

Well… he couldn’t really call it a conversation if it had just been him sending texts.

He scrolled through the multitude of blue bubbles underneath Kageyama’s contact. He’d been texting the man since Saturday night. It was now Monday, and he hadn’t gotten a single response.

Hinata had looked everywhere for Kageyama after his conversation with Atsumu and the very weird interaction with Oikawa (really, how had he gotten two unexpected and rather confusing meetings in one night?), but had come up short. He searched through the entire swath of dancing bodies, looked around the tables and booths and the overcrowded bar, but had no luck in finding the man. The situation felt all too familiar, and he couldn’t stop the hurt he felt at Kageyama just leaving without saying a word. Hinata had sent a text to him as he left the club anyway, just to make sure he was okay. And when he woke up the next morning with no texts from Kageyama, worry began to settle in his bones. He wasn’t sure if the man was in trouble or just ignoring him, and it ate away at him.

Since then, he had continued to send texts and check his phone every few minutes, hoping to see something from Kageyama just to show that he was  _ okay _ , but it never came. 

It was honestly kind of weird not seeing the musician 24/7. He hadn’t realized how much he’d gotten used to Kageyama’s presence, but now that it was gone, he  _ missed  _ it. He missed having someone he could text his random thoughts to, go to the campus convenience store with whenever he craved meat buns, practice music and write songs with, argue with about the stupidest things, someone that would get excited about hearing a new song just as much as him.

He missed Kageyama.

And the realization  _ stung _ because maybe he had done something wrong. Maybe he had somehow fucked up yet another perfectly good friendship by getting too close, too attached, too  _ comfortable _ .

Hinata sighed, stuffing his phone in his pocket before shouldering on his bag. He left his quiet dorm room with his head hung low. Not until he was outside of the building did he look up. He stared at the identical building across from him, eyes trained on the front entrance. He was leaving around the same time they usually left together to walk to practice, so Hinata was just going to casually wait a couple minutes to see if Kageyama would be leaving as well. It definitely was not a trap to try and get the man to talk to him before practice. Definitely not.

But, after five minutes of just standing there, the doors never opened and disappointment sank into his gut. It could have just been a coincidence that Kageyama decided today to leave earlier than normal, right? 

Hinata sighed once more, dragging his feet as he walked across campus. Kageyama had to be ignoring him. But why? Hinata ran a hand through his hair, taking a handful and gripping onto the roots tight.  _ You went too far, idiot _ , his mind hissed to himself. He should have known to drop the whole dancing thing, since it seemed Kageyama had been against the idea from the start.

_ But he had seemed into it _ , he began to reason, but shook his head. He had instigated it, and Kageyama had just gone with whatever Hinata was doing. He had to admit, Kageyama was very attractive, but that didn’t justify what he did. He had completely coerced the man into dancing with him– and dancing  _ like that– _ there was no wonder why Kageyama would be acting distant now.

It had all happened too fast, without Hinata really being aware of what he was doing, but after coming down from the frustration of seeing Atsumu, the memories of dancing with Kageyama had flooded back in. It had taken everything within himself not to scream in embarrassment in the middle of the club that night, and the images had been haunting him ever since.

He flushed once more at the thought, remembering the way his body had been flush against Kageyama’s and how they had moved together so easily, as if they were meant to be toge–

Hinata shook his head furiously. He slapped his face with both hands, earning him a weird look from a student passing by. No, no, no, there was no need for thoughts like that, especially now that Kageyama wasn’t even talking to him. 

He wanted to scream and rip all of his hair out because this was all so confusing and frustrating. First, Atsumu coming back had done a number on his mental psyche. He really had never expected to see the man ever again after he had left, and he was back  _ now  _ of all times. Second, this weird debacle with Kageyama. He couldn’t understand why he acted the way he does around the black-haired man and any thoughts concerning him always brought up a mix of emotions he couldn’t decipher. Now, Kageyama was just flat out ignoring him. And, to top it all off, the main rounds of the Tokyo Spring Competition started tomorrow, and the thought made him want to puke from nerves.

Expectedly, Hinata hadn’t been able to get much sleep these past few nights.

Soon, the familiar building of their venue came into view. Hinata breathed in deeply. He really didn’t know what to expect, but he just knew that he would have to talk to Kageyama, probably after practice, so that they could straighten things out. They’d be able to go back to normal if they just talked it out, right?

He entered through the double doors, walking the path through the halls he now had memorized. It was times like these where he thought about how crazy it was his life had changed this much in a mere couple of months.

Hinata paused in front of the door to their practice room, taking another deep breath before he pushed it open. The first thing he spotted was Kageyama, the tall man standing in front of the doorway, wiping down a microphone. They locked eyes for a fraction of a second before the other man quickly looked away. Hinata stood with his hand still on the door knob, watching as Kageyama basically fled to the other side of the room. 

So Kageyama  _ was  _ avoiding him.

The confirmation hurt more than he had thought it would. He deflated, letting his shoulders sag as he entered the room. Everyone else was already there as well, Suga and Daichi talking excitedly to each other over at the drum set while Tsukishima laid out on the couch– with no Yamaguchi, surprisingly.

He sluggishly made his way over to the couch, dropping his bag onto the ground in front of it before walking to stand behind the keyboard. He crouched down to plug the piano into the amp converter, but when he straightened back up there was someone standing in front of him. On the other side of the keyboard, Suga flicked the electric piano on. A low, static humming played over the now live amp.

“What’s up Hinata, enjoy your weekend?” Suga asked conversationally, his hands on his hips and a bright smile on his face.

Hinata nodded. “Yeah, it was alright,” he said, his voice more monotonous than normal.

The smile on Suga’s face dropped, his eyes suddenly serious. “Are you okay?” he asked in a low voice so only Hinata could hear. Hinata nodded silently, this time choosing to send a smile to Suga instead of trusting his voice. However, he knew it looked pained, and Suga definitely noticed because he didn’t smile in return. After hesitating a moment, the older man gave one firm nod. He placed a comforting hand on Hinata’s shoulder before walking back over to Daichi. Hinata tried not to sigh out loud, letting his head tip back so that he looked up to the ceiling.

“Alright everyone,” Suga started, “Let’s get this show on the road.” Hinata brought his head back down, looking over to Suga as he brought his guitar strap over his head. “Let’s start off with the first song we’ll be playing tomorrow. We’re gonna take as long as we need to make sure it’s perfect before moving on to our second one, since we’ll be competing directly with another band and the stakes will be higher.” 

Hinata’s stomach sank even more.

He looked over to Kageyama, seeing that the man obviously didn’t want to be there, a heavy scowl set on his face. Hinata looked to his other side, finding that Tsukishima was also in a worse mood than normal. The atmosphere was all off, and even the cool feel of the keys against his fingertips couldn’t comfort him.

Daichi counted them off, and they began playing. Kageyama sang as Suga plucked at his guitar, and the beginning of the song wasn’t particularly exciting, so to speak, but there was definitely something different about Kageyama’s voice. Something missing from it, making it seem flat and void of any emotion.

As the song began to pick up and every one joined in with their instruments, there was still something off about the song. It wasn’t necessarily bad, but it just wasn’t the same as when they had practiced it in the months prior to the competition. Hinata knew that they could produce something better than this.

About a quarter of the way into the song, Hinata could no longer hear the bass. He paused in singing the backup vocals to Kageyama to look over at Tsukishima once again. The blond bassist wasn’t playing. He was shouldering off his bass, an irritated glare on his face and directed at their lead singer.

“Why the fuck are we even here if we’re just gonna play like shit?” Tsukishima asked suddenly, causing everyone to stop abruptly. 

Silence followed, filling the room and suffocating them like a deadly gas. Tsukishima’s glare was turning angrier and angrier by the second, the crease between his brows deepening.

“Kageyama, are you  _ trying _ to sound like a dying cat?”

Hinata flinched at Tsukishima’s comment, head whipping to his other side to find Kageyama. The man stared ahead at a spot just above his microphone and his face was masked with calm, but Hinata caught the way the muscles in his jaw jumped from him clenching his teeth. It was obvious Kageyama was trying not to react, but that apparently wasn’t satisfactory for Tsukishima.

“What,” Tsukishima scoffed, his voice dripping with venom, “the King doesn’t have anything to say for once? I’m surprised since you’ve always got shit–”

Within an instant, Kageyama was across the room with the front of Tsukishima’s sweatshirt clenched in his fists.

“Hey! That’s enough!” Daichi barked as he began moving toward the two.

But Hinata got there first.

He placed a hand on Kageyama’s upper arm, trying to get the singer off of their bassist before anything bad could happen.

“Kageya–”

“Don’t touch me!” Kageyama suddenly yelled as he yanked his arm from Hinata’s grasp as if his touch had burned him. Hinata flinched at the hostility before standing frozen in place. He couldn’t look away from the feral look Kageyama was shooting him over his shoulder. For the first time in a long time, Hinata remembered just how scary Kageyama could be.

Then, after a brief moment, realization slipped onto the man’s features, his face dropping and eyes widening in shock. But just as fast as it appeared, it was gone to be replaced by a hard scowl. Kageyama gave one last, final shove to Tsukishima before releasing the bassist and walking back to his microphone.

“Let’s just practice,” he said in a hardened voice as he adjusted his microphone on its stand. 

Daichi and Suga looked between the three of them, then turned to each other with equally worried expressions. Hinata stayed where he was, even as Tsukishima shrugged back on the strap for his bass and Daichi sat back behind his set.

His eyes felt glued open, the images of Kageyama hitting back his hand and looking at him as if he were the scum of the Earth flashing in his mind. Sluggishly, he finally moved back behind his keyboard. He kept his eyes trained downward, not looking up even once Daichi started them off again. Hinata focused on his fingers pressing into the black and ivory keys and not the lump in the back of his throat that made it difficult to swallow. 

Kageyama was really mad at him. More so than Hinata had expected. He thought that they’d be able to just argue and then move on like they usually did. But this… this felt different. Had Kageyama really been that bothered by dancing with him? It was obvious that he would have to apologize, and soon unless they wanted their quality of performing to continue to spiral, but how could he get a word in if Kageyama would just look at him like that? The only thing Hinata knew for sure was that this would not be resolved as easily as he had previously thought.

The rest of practice continued on, albeit quieter than usual. They had been able to practice both of their songs for tomorrow more than enough times, but Hinata secretly wished that they’d somehow be able to play better at the actual thing.

Everyone filed out of the practice room, eager to leave the stifling atmosphere once they were finished.

“Hey, Suga-san, is it alright if I stay for a bit? There’s some pieces I wanted to work on,” Hinata asked as the silver-haired man finished wrapping a scarf around his neck. 

Suga paused, staring at Hinata before looking off to the side, just briefly catching a glimpse of Kageyama’s retreating form before it disappeared behind the door. It seemed as though he wanted to say something, but Suga just shook his head instead.

He gave a soft sigh as he picked up his leather shoulder bag. “Fine,” he conceded, “but don’t stay too late.” Suga gave Hinata a firm look to show just how serious he was about his statement.

Hinata nodded. “Don’t worry, I promise I’ll be out of here before ten.”

Suga clicked his tongue and gave a wave of his hand. “Yeah, yeah. It’s not like I would’ve been able to stop you.” He moved toward the door where Daichi stood waiting for him, Kageyama and Tsukishima already long gone. However, before Suga stepped fully through the door, he looked back to Hinata with a serious expression. “Take care, Hinata-kun,” he departed with.

The door closed with a soft click. Hinata stood there, the silence of the room turning into white noise in his ears as he stared at the door for a few, long moments. Once he was sure everyone was finally gone, he felt his chest constrict as he let the sting in his eyes finally give way. Hot tears rolled down his cheeks in constant streams and a small, choked sob slipped past his lips.

_ Shit. _

***

“Shit,” Tsukishima cursed under his breath, stopping in his tracks as his hands came into contact with nothing but air.

He swung his backpack around so that it rested on his chest instead of his back and zipped open the main pocket. He sifted through the contents, which really wasn’t a lot– just a few notebooks, papers, and some pens– so it didn’t take him long to confirm that he did, in fact, leave his headphones at the practice room.

He let out a long, frustrated groan.

Just his luck. He’d been in an absolutely terrible mood since Saturday night and practice had been shit. He didn’t want to have to deal with walking all the way back to the venue to retrieve his stupid headphones since he was already over halfway back to campus. But he knew that without his headphones, his mood would only get worse. So, he reluctantly turned around and began trudging back to the venue.

He hasn’t seen Yamaguchi since ‘the incident’. He’s not sure where the man had stayed the past two nights or what clothes he had since he never came back to their dorm, and he’d be lying if he said he wasn’t just a little bit worried. 

Tsukishima had spent all of Saturday night thinking. He hadn’t been able to sleep after their fight, his mind reeling and his eyes glued open even as the rest of his body longed for rest. He stayed up until the buildings outside of their window were backlit by deep azure and gold, secretly hoping that Yamaguchi would slink back into their dorm so he could apologize.

But the man never did.

And so, the entirety of Sunday was also spent thinking. He had been able to conclude two things: 1) he was pissed and 2) there was a reason. What that reason was, he hadn’t been entirely sure. He knew that that Terushima guy pissed him off, and seeing him with his arm around Yamaguchi even more so. Yamaguchi ignoring his texts  _ because _ he was busy with Terushima also pissed him off. And then, he was mad at himself for having made Yamaguchi look like that, for having made him cry. He soon realized after Yamaguchi left that he never wanted to make the man feel that way ever again.

But there were just too many things going on inside of his brain and, for once, he felt that he couldn’t logically sift through them to solve this problem. These things were in a domain he rarely ever had to deal with. He’d never had to worry about the integrity of his relationship with Yamaguchi before because the man was just always there, ever since elementary school.

So, he did the one thing he felt was the most logical decision in this very illogical situation.

He called Suga.

The silver-haired man had obviously been surprised by the call and thought that Tsukishima was joking when he had said he needed advice. But once he explained that, no, he actually really did fuck up this time, Suga had become serious.

Tsukishima explained the entire situation over the phone, starting from the club and continuing from there. And, strangely enough, Tsukishima found himself voicing his own concerns and feelings about it and how he was confused because of them.

After his rather long rant, the line was quiet for just a moment before Suga spoke. His voice was gentle and he spoke as if he were choosing his words very carefully. He had suggested an answer as to why Tsukishima was feeling these things, but Tsukishima wasn’t sure how he felt about it. After thanking Suga, he hung up and was once again left to his thoughts.

He’d never really gave it any thought before. His friendship with Yamaguchi, their future, the meaning of their current relationship and the thing that they did with and for one another. It had always just been Tsukishima and Yamaguchi, nothing more and nothing less. They just were, and it had never been so complicated for either of them, or so he thought.

But now, things were different. Things were changing. And he knew that it was up to him to decide whether it would be for the better.

Tsukishima sighed once he entered the venue building.  _ I guess the walk back wasn’t that bad _ , he thought to himself as he went through the hallways toward their practice room. 

He brought out his keys from his coat pocket and stopped in front of the door. He placed the key to the practice room into the lock and turned, but no click came. 

_ That’s odd _ , he thought before pushing open the already unlocked door.

He really should have thought more before he did that. Has he gotten dumber from hanging out with people like Kageyama and Hinata so much?

Sitting on the couch inside the room was Hinata. The orange-haired man’s head whipped up from where it rested in his hands to look at Tsukishima, who had apparently just barged into Hinata’s private crying session.

Hinata’s face was contorted uglily and snot ran from his nose. He grimaced at the sight as Hinata quickly tried to wipe away the mess of snot and tears from his face.

Tsukishima cursed his luck for the second time that night.

“Tsukishima, what’re you doing here?” Hinata finally asked, his tone light with conversation even though Tsukishima could hear a wobble in his voice.

He closed his eyes. It’s not like he can just walk out of the room. Well, actually he could, but then he’d feel like even more of a piece of shit. And he already let Yamaguchi cry on his own.

Tsukishima opened his eyes and, without answering the question, moved toward the couches. He went to the one opposite of Hinata first and picked up his headphones from the cushion where he had left them. He then moved to the one Hinata sat on and plopped down next to the man.

“What are you–”

“Shut up,” Tsukishima cut him off. Really, how could Hinata be so annoying even when he was crying. He shoved his headphones over Hinata’s ears. The man’s eyes widened and his mouth opened to ask yet  _ another _ question, but it died on his lips once Tsukishima pressed play on his phone.

Hinata’s eyes widened a fraction more before his face crumbled once again, silent tears slipping from his eyes as he listened to the music. He lowered his head back into his hands and his shoulders began to shake.

Tsukishima just sat there, unsure of what to do in this situation. Should he try to comfort him? Give him a pat on the shoulder or something?

_ What would Yamaguchi do _ , the thought floated into his mind before he could stop it. His heart panged painfully in his chest. 

He gave out a small sigh. He let his head tip back and rest on the back of the couch as Hinata listened to the soft piano music Tsukishima usually listened to when he was frustrated.

Tsukishima figured the man was probably upset about how Kageyama had acted during practice. The two had gotten pretty close in such a short amount of time, definitely due to Hinata’s persistence if not anything else. And today there was definitely something straining between them. They hadn’t argued like they usually did and Kageyama’s singing was worse than usual. But even Hinata’s playing had seemed off and his singing quieter than usual. 

He wasn’t sure what happened between them, but it obviously was affecting both of them. He guessed Hinata was more fragile than he had thought, especially always wearing his heart on his sleeve.

Only a few minutes later, Hinata’s shoulders finally stopped shaking. Tsukishima paused the music, causing Hinata to look up at him. Hinata slowly slipped the headphones off of his head and handed them to him with a small thank you. He took the headphones and wrapped them around his neck, making a mental note to clean them later, before looking away.

“What’s up,” he asked, but he bit his tongue as he realized it came out more like a demand.

Hinata sniffled once more before answering. “Kageyama.”

Before he could stop himself, Tsukishima sighed irritatedly. “No shit, Sherlock,” he spoke and then immediately cringed after. He pinched the bridge of his nose and let out another soft sigh. “What happened between you two,” he began slowly, still not looking at Hinata, “You guys were practically inseparable. It was annoying.”

Hinata gave a small, airy laugh. “I wouldn’t say we were  _ inseparable _ ,” he said quietly, almost somberly. He paused for a moment. “But,” the man trailed off. Tsukishima finally looked at Hinata through the corner of his eyes, seeing that he was struggling with whatever he was about to say, so he remained quiet and patiently waited for Hinata to continue.

“I may have overstepped his boundaries,” Hinata began slowly, “and now he’s ignoring me.” The shorter man sighed. “I didn’t think it was that bad, but he seemed genuinely mad,” he whispered, his voice cracking softly at the end.

“I know we haven’t known each other all that long, but…,” Hinata trailed off once more. He took in a deep breath before continuing. “But I thought we were friends.”

It was silent between them for a moment. Hinata was just sitting there, staring at his entwined hands. Tsukishima wasn’t exactly sure how to proceed with their conversation, but he figured since he was already here, might as well try to help the usually annoying man-child.

“Look,” Tsukishima sighed, looking down at his own lap. “We’ve known Kageyama since high school, Yamaguchi and I. A lot of people don’t know it, but Kageyama’s actually terrible with people. And not because he’s always yelling, like you may think. He’s awkward and just doesn’t know how to  _ talk _ to anyone.

“So, I was surprised when you came along. Yeah you two would always argue, but for Kageyama, that’s the most communication I’ve ever seen him do with someone. It took him months to say more than a word at a time to Suga and Daichi. And even in high school, the only semblance of friends he had were those two irritating kids from our class that were in the band with him.

“You’re both annoying and I can’t stand it when you two are together,” Tsukishima grumbled, pushing his glasses up the bridge of his nose. “But,” he continued, “seeing as how today went, I’d rather have that than when you two are fighting.” He let out a small sigh and stole a glance toward Hinata.

Tsukishima paused. Hinata looked shocked, his now dry eyes were wide and his mouth hung open. He was staring off into space, but something about the look in his eyes told him that Hinata was  _ determined _ . It was a little terrifying.

“Tsukishima,” Hinata breathed as he turned his head to meet his gaze. A small grin spread on Hinata’s face. “Thank you.”

Tsukishima clicked his tongue and looked away. “Whatever, I didn’t do anything,” he grit out moodily. He doesn’t need Hinata coming to him for advice regularly. “Just talk to him before things get worse and we make a fool of ourselves on stage.”

Hinata let out a small chuckle. “You know, you’re not that bad.”

“Shut up, you short tangerine. Go bungee jump off a curb.”

Hinata let out a real laugh this time, his head thrown back. “I finally see why Yamaguchi likes you,” he said nonchalantly.

Tsukishima’s breath caught in his throat.

_ I finally see why Yamaguchi likes you. _

His eyes widened. His tongue felt like cotton in his mouth.

_ Yamaguchi likes you. _

“Tsukishima? You alright?”

Tsukishima shook his head lightly. “I’m fine,” he said as he stood from the couch. “If this is all done, I need to get back to campus.”

Hinata blinked owlishly at him. “Ah, alright, yeah, thank you again. I’m gonna stay for a bit and actually practice.”

Tsukishima nodded stiffly. He quickly gathered his things, this time remembering to check that he still had his headphones wrapped around his neck, and left the room without another word.

_ I finally see why Yamaguchi likes you. _

“What the fuck,” he said to himself as he burst through the doors of the venue, welcoming the fresh air from outside. His heart was pounding in his chest.

Why was his heart pounding in his chest?

All Hinata had said was that Yamaguchi liked him, but he shouldn’t be jumping to conclusions like this. The dumb, orange-haired man was probably just saying it, like, platonically.

Was Suga right? Did Yamaguchi actually want their relationship to be more than what it was currently? He thought there was no way, but if both Suga and Hinata said that then…

No. There was no way. Absolutely no way. 

Right? That’s just how Yamaguchi was. How Yamaguchi had always been. He was kind and he was friendly. If the thing with Terushima told him anything, it was that Yamaguchi was just touchy with his friends. So, there was nothing special about Tsukishima. But, he figured, Tsukishima was the only one who really ever got to see his mischievous side. Yamaguchi liked Tsukishima’s snarky jokes and would join in on the teasing sometimes. He was more impish than people often realized, and that was one of the things Tsukishima loved about him.

Tsukishima halted, his shoes scuffing harshly on the pavement.

He stood there on the sidewalk, his chest heaving. His wide, frantic eyes searched the ground at his feet. His hand came up to clutch tightly onto the front of his sweatshirt.

_ Love? _

No, no, no, no.

Wait, but maybe…

No!

There was no way. Yamaguchi did not like him, and he definitely did not  _ love _ Yamaguchi.

He started walking again, his footsteps stomping against the sidewalk in his frustration.

They were just really good friends. They’d known each other forever, so it only made sense that there were things Tsukishima liked about Yamaguchi. Platonically.

And there were things he didn’t like about him, as well. Yeah, there were things about Yamaguchi that irritated him. Like how he always tapped his pencil when he studied and how he badly sang along to the openings of the anime that they watched. Even how Yamaguchi never showed much confidence in front of others; or the way he always held his cup of cocoa up to his face to feel the steam before sipping it; or the way his eyes lit up when he talked about something he was really passionate about, like computers; or the way he always smiled up at Tsukishima; or–

Tsukishima stopped abruptly once again. His mind was screaming at him.

“Shit,” he cursed under his breath. He dropped to his knees and buried his head in his hand. “Shit,” he cursed breathlessly.

He was so far gone.

And he’d messed everything up. Why did he have to say that to him? Why had he told Yamaguchi that he didn’t care about what he did? Of course he cared. Yamaguchi was the  _ only _ person he ever cared this much about.

“Shit,” he said again, this time louder as he jumped up from his crouch and sprinted toward campus.

He had to fix this. Yamaguchi was the only thing he had. He had to talk to Yamaguchi and fix this while he still could, before he slipped away from him forever.

He just needed to be honest with Yamaguchi… and himself.

Tsukishima ran to the edge of campus and started toward the opposite direction of his dorm. It was 9 p.m. on a Monday night, so he knew exactly where Yamaguchi would be.

Not long after, he found himself panting in front of their campus library. He rested his hands on his knees, giving himself a bit of time to catch his breath. Getting in one last lung-full of air, he straightened and headed toward the large glass doors of the building. Upon entering, he immediately went to the stairs and climbed up to the third floor. He walked through the quiet building, his footsteps echoing softly on the marble floors until they came into contact with carpet. He weaved through the first section of shelves before coming out into an opening filled with empty tables meant for studying. At the edge of the space was a Reference desk and, behind it, sat Yamaguchi.

The brunette looked up from whatever he was doing to see who had just entered his area of the library, and his eyes widened once he realized it was him.

“Tsukki,” the man squeaked, “wh–what are you doing here?”

“I need to talk to you,” Tsukishima grunted, coming up to the other side of the desk.

Yamaguchi looked around nervously. There wasn’t anyone in their vicinity, but he was sure a few students were scattered around the floor.

“B–but, I’m working,” he tried to protest, but Tsukishima would have none of it.

“Yamaguchi.”

The man’s head whipped upward to look at Tsukishima, their eyes meeting for the first time since he arrived. But, what he saw in them he hadn’t expected. Yamaguchi looked  _ scared _ . There was no way he could leave now. He had to talk to him and clear everything up. Tsukishima met Yamaguchi’s gaze with his own, steady one.

“Please.”

Yamaguchi looked away, hiding his face from him, but gave a little nod. He got up from his chair and moved around the desk. Tsukishima followed as Yamaguchi silently led them further into the third floor of the library before he stopped somewhere near the back between some shelves.

They were now facing each other, but Yamaguchi still was not meeting his eyes. The man was fidgeting in place, and he realized that Yamaguchi must be uncomfortable.  _ He _ was making Yamaguchi uncomfortable.

It was too late. Yamaguchi was already gone.

“I’m sorry!” Yamaguchi suddenly whisper-shouted.

Tsukishima felt his eyes widen in shock, and before he could say anything, Yamaguchi spoke again, panicked.

“I– I’m so sorry for hitting you Tsukki! I shouldn’t have, and– and I know you’re mad about it, so I’m sorry!” He paused for a fraction of a second, but Tsukishima was too stunned to say anything.

_ He’s apologizing? _

“But– but,” Yamaguchi continued as he looked up at him, and the man’s face was hard with determination even though there was a waiver in his eyes. “You deserved it Tsukki, you– I’m sorry but you deserved it, and I understand if you’re mad and if you never wanna talk to me again but–”

“Yamaguchi.”

His low tone effectively stopped Yamaguchi’s rambling and caused him to flinch. Fear slowly made its way back onto his features. 

Tsukishima took in a slow inhale and looked over to his side. He wasn’t sure how to begin, but he knew he had to say something. Yamaguchi thought that he was mad at him, when really it should be the other way around. Seriously, Yamaguchi was too good for him.

“Tsukki?” a small voice whispered, dispelling him from his thoughts. His head snapped back up to look at Yamaguchi, the man who’d been by his side since childhood, the one person in the entire world he’d ever want to stay by his side.

“I’m sorry,” he said finally, his voice strong. He looked Yamaguchi in the eyes, seeing them widen minutely. He took in a deep breath before continuing. “I’m sorry for what I did. And for what I said. You’re right, I deserved that. You had every right to hit me because I was being an asshole.” Tsukishima’s gaze shifted to the side once more. “I’m always an asshole. So, I don’t know why you’ve stuck around me for so long,” he spoke more softly this time.

There was a small pause between them, and Tsukishima thought he heard Yamaguchi's mouth open to speak, but he continued before he could.

“But I’m grateful,” Tsukishima said, the bravado in his voice returning. He had to show Yamaguchi how confident he was in the words he said next. “I’m so grateful for you, because I know that I don’t deserve you, and yet, deep down in my heart, I still want you.

“You deserve someone better than me, someone who’s nice to others and doesn’t hesitate to put their all into things. Someone who is better at expressing their feelings. Someone who knows the right words to say at the right times. I’m not that someone, and yet I–,” he paused. His hands clenched into fists at his sides.

_ Is this really okay to say right now? After everything? After all of that I’ve put him through, is it okay to tell him this? _

“I want to be, for you. I still hope that, deep down, you feel the same way as I do. I’m sorry that I can never tell the truth. I’m sorry that I can’t admit things to you, or even myself. I don’t understand everything in this world like I make it out to seem. I’m not perfect. I never will be perfect. But you, Yamaguchi.” He took a deep breath. “Tadashi. You’ve always been perfect, even when we were little. You were everything I could never be. You were kind, caring, you had a smile that could make someone stop crying. You’ve always been so good at handling people and emotions–”

“ _ Kei _ ,” he heard Yamaguchi say, his voice breaking a bit at the sound. His eyes flicked up to Yamaguchi’s face and saw tears streaming down his cheeks.

“Yamaguchi, what’s wrong–”

“No,” Yamaguchi hiccuped. “Call me Tadashi. Please, call me Tadashi again.”

All the air inside of Tsukishima’s lungs rushed out. “ _ Tadashi. _ ”

A sob passed through Yamaguchi’s lips, and the shorter man crashed into his chest. He wrapped his arms tightly around Yamaguchi’s shoulders and pressed his face into his hair.

“I’m sorry, I’m sorry, I’m sorry” he whispered into his hair like a mantra, causing Yamaguchi to cry louder. He buried his face deeper into Tsukishima’s neck, and he could feel the wetness on his skin. He just held Yamaguchi tighter, the brunette clutching desperately onto the front of his coat as weak sobs wracked his body.

“I’ll make it up to you, I promise,” he said lowly, his lips brushing against the shell of Yamaguchi's ear. “I’m so sorry.”

They stayed like that, holding onto each other until Yamaguchi calmed down. His cries turned into soft sniffles, and the wetness on Tsukishima’s clothes had turned cold from the air conditioner in the library. Tsukishima led Yamaguchi back to the main area of the floor, which was thankfully still empty, to gather his things. After Yamaguchi texted to his superior that he was leaving his shift early because he wasn’t feeling well, the two departed from the library and headed toward their dorm.

It was silent on their walk back through campus, save for a sniffle from Yamaguchi every now and then. The brunette clutched onto Tsukishima’s arm the entire way, and he realized he really didn't mind. If anything, the contact made him feel better. He hated himself for having made Yamaguchi cry, but they had made progress, and Tsukishima was sure that they were headed toward a much better relationship, whatever that entailed. He was going to try better. He promised Yamaguchi that he would fix things, so he would have to suck it up and put his entire effort into Yamaguchi.

But… it was worth it.

Tadashi would always be worth it.

***

“So, you’ve got a plan?”

“Wouldn’t you like to know.”

Akaashi shot him an unimpressed gaze. “You were the one who asked me to go over it with you,” Akaashi said, and Kuroo watched as the man began to turn away from him. “I see that that’s not true, so I’ll take my leave.”

“Ah, no! Don’t go,” Kuroo exclaimed, reaching a hand out to the raven-haired bassist which missed and instead swept through the empty air, causing him to almost fall off of Akaashi’s couch.

But Akaashi sighed, stopping anyway and crossing his arms as he faced him once again. “Fine, but get on with it.”

“Right,” Kuroo said as he repositioned himself on the soft cushions so he was now sitting cross-legged.

He’d been thinking about his confession to Kenma for  _ weeks _ just to make sure it was perfect and that his feelings would come across. It had taken him a while to sort through all of the terrible and joky ideas his brain had conjured up first before he could come up with a plan that wouldn’t result in him getting kicked in the balls. Now, he finally had a pretty solid plan, and it was one that he was actually really excited for Kenma to see. Although it was a  _ little _ cheesy, he hoped it wouldn’t deter Kenma too much.

“That’s kind of cheesy,” Akaashi deadpanned from his spot on the floor in front of Kuroo after he finished the spiel of his plan.

“Gahhhh!” Kuroo exclaimed, throwing his hands up in exasperation.  _ If Akaashi thinks it’s bad, Ken will  _ hate  _ it. _ “It is cheesy, isn’t it? Should I do something else? I was planning on doing this pretty soon, but if I put my mind to it I’m sure I can come up with something else. Although it had taken me a few weeks just to come up with an idea that didn’t involve an awful rendition of ‘Lady in Red’ or some sort of flashy dance mob–,” he continued mumbling to himself, his phrases becoming less and less comprehensible to an outsider.

Akaashi silently shook his head, causing Kuroo to stop his muttering. His bandmate had a small smile gracing his beautiful face as he looked at him. “You’re cheesy in general, so I think it will be fine actually. I’m sure Kenma will love it.”

Kuroo stared at Akaashi, and then let out a little sniffle. “Akaashi, you’re gonna make me cry,” he said, his voice wobbling the slightest bit. The smile slipped away from Akaashi’s face to reveal his usual look of delicate indifference as he began to slowly inch away. “You’re so sweet!” Kuroo shouted dramatically, watching as Akaashi continued to try and escape. A devious smile appeared on his own face. “Let me hug you!” he exclaimed as he lunged forward, coming off of the couch and launching himself across the coffee table that separated them. Akaashi tried to scramble away, but he was too slow, and Kuroo’s arms immediately wrapped around the lithe body of the shorter man.

“I love you ‘Kaashi, you’re such a great friend. I’ll let you be the ring bearer at Kenma and I’s wedding, okay?” he said as he rubbed his cheek against Akaashi’s.

Akaashi sighed and sat there, accepting his defeat since he knew he wouldn’t be able to get out of his hold. He continued to rub his face on the smooth skin, a noise rumbling out of his chest eerily similar to a cat’s purr. 

“You’re quite confident for a man who hasn’t even confessed yet,” Akaashi said with no qualms. 

Kuroo gasped and let go of the man. “So cold, Akaashi.”

The raven-haired man merely shrugged with a little, smug smirk on his face. Of course he would result in using psychological warfare to get out of the hug.

“Hey!” a third voice boomed its way into the conversation. “My Akaashi isn’t cold, take that back, Kuroo!”

Akaashi sighed softly once again. “I think my lifespan decreases every minute I spend with you two.”

Bokuto laughed heartily as he came to sit beside Akaashi on the floor. The drummer had on a pair of sweats and a towel wrapped around his neck, his hair still damp from his shower.

“Aw, but you still love us, don’tcha ‘Kaash?” he asked, leaning into the man in question while batting his eyelashes, probably trying for puppy dog eyes.

It apparently worked, as the small smile made its way back to Akaashi’s face and his eyes warmed as he looked at Bokuto. “Of course, Koutarou,” he spoke gently, moving over so that he sat in between Bokuto’s legs. Bokuto wrapped his arms around Akaashi’s torso from behind and hooked his chin over the other’s shoulder. “And I meant it, Kuroo,” he said, looking directly at him, “I’m sure Kenma will love whatever you do. So there’s no need to be worried.”

“Ahhh, always so perceptive,” Kuroo said airily as he ran a hand through his hair. He’d been stressing over the entire for so long. He may even have acquired a few silver hairs because of it. But having the confirmation from someone as honest as Akaashi really does help to relieve some of the nerves. Only some. “I just hope it goes as planned.”

“You’ve been working on this for months,” Bokuto cheered excitedly–after moving his mouth away from Akaashi’s ear, of course. “It’ll go great!”

“Thanks, Bo,” Kuroo said, shooting the man a toothy smile. “And thank you Akaashi, I really appreciate your guys’ help.”

“Of course, Kuroo,” Akaashi responded at the same time Bikuto yelled, “No problem, dude!”

Kuroo gave them another lazy smile. Looking at the two of them and seeing how domestic they were made his heart long for something like that. He really hoped his plan would work.

“Well, I better get goin’ or Ken’ll have my head,” he said as he stood up from the couch. “I’ll see you guys tomorrow.”

The three of them said their goodbyes and, soon, Kuroo left their apartment and headed back toward the dorms.

He walked through the campus, letting the quiet coddle his mind. Spring was nearing, and he was grateful for the warmer weather that would come. Spring. He couldn’t believe that that time of year had rolled around again already. The tournament would start tomorrow, and he couldn’t wait. Just thinking about it made his fingers itch to play. It would be their fourth year participating in the competition, having first played when he was still a third year in high school. Man, it made him feel old. He’d become friends with Bokuto almost immediately after they met in band class their first year. Bokuto had introduced them to Akaashi and Kuroo dragged along Kenma, creating their little group. Soon after, they decided to start their band. Kenma had actually come up with their name, The Currents, then. It seemed simple enough, and Kuroo had agreed to it immediately, but Akaashi was the one to ask  _ why _ Kenma had chosen that. The quiet little genius had said simply that he believed the fifth natural element was not Void, but actually the opposite. Energy. He’d said that it was always around us in various forms, and so, like a current of energy, he felt that they’d always have a constant, unwavering, and strong power. 

Kuroo could have never imagined that Kenma would put that much thought into something that didn’t involve video games, but now he knew how wrong he was. While Kenma oftentimes seemed lazy and would make a fuss at extra work, he was one of the smartest and reliable people Kuroo knew. The man worked hard for his friends, and that was all he ever needed.

And so, even though they’d been playing with each other for years, Kuroo couldn’t wait to perform with them again.

Plus, he was excited to see how Take Flight! and their new little addition would fair in the competition. They definitely were interesting.

Kuroo entered one of the newer-looking dorm buildings and walked through it with practiced familiarity. He forwent the elevator and, instead, headed straight for the stairs. He effortlessly climbed up to the second floor, using his long legs to take two steps at a time.

He walked through the second floor, passing by a number of doors before he came up to the one he was looking for. He entered through it and into the dorm without knocking. The first thing he saw was Kenma laying on his bed, curled up on his side and playing on his DS. 

“You’re late,” was Kenma’s greeting, still tapping at the buttons on his game.

“Sorry, Kenma,” Kuroo began to apologize as he slipped off his coat and out of his shoes, “got caught up with Akaashi and Bokuto.” He walked up to the bed, bending at his waist and tilting his head so that he was face-to face with Kenma– well, sort of, since the DS was still in the way. “Plus, I’m not that late.”

Kenma merely hummed disinterestedly. Kuroo straightened and walked to the other of the bed, jumping up onto it near Kenma’s feet. The sudden intrusion caused the mattress to jump, and Kenma along with it. The man shot Kuroo a glare because of the unwanted movement, but he finally got Kenma to look at him, so Kuroo just flashed a sweet, toothy smile. That earned him a roll of Kenma’s eyes, who looked away once again to resume his game.

“How was your day today?” Kuroo asked, leaning up against the wall and looking down at Kenma.

“It was fine,” the man mumbled in response. He gave a small sigh before continuing. “I was given a group project today in one of my classes, but I’m just going to do my side of the project and leave the rest for my partner.”

Kuroo let out a bark of laughter. “That’s not how you’re supposed to do group projects,” he said, mirthful.

“And I don’t care,” Kenma replied, unamused. “Why did you need to see me today?”

“What, I can’t just want to hang out with my favorite little kitten?”

“Don’t call me that. What do you want,” Kenma deadpanned.

Kuroo sighed with a small shake of his head. He did want to just see Kenma, but it was true he did have something to talk about, as well. “I wanted to go over the songs for tomorrow with you.”

“I’ll look at them in the morning,” Kenma mumbled, bringing his knees in closer to his chest.

“Ken, you should look at it now so you can mentally prepare. I’m not desponding your abilities, but I know that you’d feel more comfortable performing if we go over it a bit beforehand.”

Kenma curled into a tighter ball as his fingers began tapping at the DS with more vigor. “I need to finish this level.”

“The level can wait,” Kuroo said as he leaned away from the wall, peering over to try and see Kenma’s face. 

“No it can’t. If you’re just going to reprimand me, you can leave,” Kenma responded, still not even looking at him.

“Don’t be like that.”

Kuroo was met with no response other than the continued clicking of plastic buttons. He leaned further forward, trying to get a glimpse of Kenma’s face.

“Kenma,” he called out again. He was met with more silence. “Kenma,” he warned, “don’t ignore me.”

He still received no response. There was no way he could let Kenma win like that. The man needed to see that the silent treatment just did not work on him.

Kuroo leapt up from his spot on the bed and launched an attack on Kenma.

“Kuroo! What are you doing!? You’re gonna make me lose!” Kenma frantically exclaimed, trying to wrestle away from him.

“I warned you!” he yelled back as he reached for Kenma’s DS. Kenma struggled against him, trying to wriggle out from underneath him, but to no avail. Kuroo was bigger and longer, his limbs able to stretch past Kenma’s and snatch the DS from his outstretched hand. He raised the device above his head with a triumphant cheer that soon died on his lips once he looked down.

They both stopped, panting. Kuroo realized he was straddling him, his knees on either side of Kenma’s hips, and his unoccupied hand was flat against the mattress above Kenma’s shoulder. Kenma’s hands rested above his head, his hair disheveled and splayed out against the light gray pillow. His lips were slightly parted as he breathed out huffs of air and, if he looked closely, he could see that the tops of Kenma’s cheeks were dusted pink.

His brain short-circuited and all he could think was,  _ How pretty. _

“Kuroo,” Kenma breathed out, the sound barely a whisper. A shiver crawled up his spine as he looked into Kenma’s eyes. They were a pretty honey color, and this close, he could see tiny specks of gold.

But then, the harsh sound came from the DS, dispelling the moment. Kenma’s eyes widened, and the man took the opportunity to get his leg free from beneath him. Kenma planted his foot in the middle of Kuroo’s chest and kicked him, pushing him back and causing him to fall off of the bed. He went down with flailing arms and a loud squawk. He landed on the hard carpet of the floor, and gave a loud groan as he got the wind knocked out of him. He sucked in a deep, choking gulp of air as pain bloomed in his shoulder. That was going to leave a bruise.

“You made me lose,” he heard Kenma grumble from the top of the bed. With effort, he slowly moved into a sitting position and peered up at him as Kenma grabbed his DS from where it had landed on the bed.

“Well,” Kuroo started weakly, “since you’ve already lost, now we can go over the songs.”

Kenma’s head whipped toward him, causing tendrils of hair to fall in front of his face. His cat-like eyes narrowed into slits. “Leave,” he demanded.

“Kenma! Don’t be like that! I’m sorry!” he hurriedly apologized as he tried to get up from the floor.

“I don’t care. You made me lose,” Kenma said, grabbing a pillow and hugging it to his chest. Once Kuroo stood up, Kenma scooted away into the corner of the wall. He pointed a finger to the door. “Now leave.”

Kuroo climbed back onto the bed. Kenma tightened his hold on the pillow, hugging it closer to him. He was acting like a frazzled cat. “Don’t make me leave. C’mon, you already lost so let’s just go over the songs!”

The pillow smacked into his face.

***

“Ahhh, classes kicked my ass today,” Hanamaki whined, leaning back with his hand clutching one of the handles above him on the semi-empty bullet train.

“Just a few more weeks and we’ll be on break,” Matsukawa responded unenthusiastically as he tapped at his phone.

Hanamaki groaned next to Oikawa as he righted himself. “I never understood why the Tokyo Spring Competition was so close to finals. Why couldn’t they just wait till break?”

“It’s not like everyone who competes is still in school, Makki,” Oikawa said, leaning his head back a little to look at Hanamaki. His grip tightened on his own handle as the train zoomed around a turn.

“Only the young people matter,” Hanamaki said with a click of his tongue.

“So what, next year after we graduate, we won’t matter anymore?” Iwaizumi questioned, chiming into the conversation from Oikawa’s other side.

“Precisely,” Hanamaki responded, as if it were the obvious answer. “Nobody wants to squeal over some old guys.”

Oikawa flicked a haughty hand through his bangs. “I’ll have people fawning over me for the rest of my life,” he said in an amusingly snobby voice.

He heard Iwaizumi scoff next to him. Without thinking better of it, he turned his gaze to him. “What? Got something to say?” Oikawa questioned with a sneer.

Iwaizumi shrugged, keeping his eyes on the scenery outside the window of the train. “Doesn’t matter,” he grunted.

Oikawa continues to look at the side of Iwaizumi’s face for a moment longer, before he huffs and turns back to face Hanamaki and Matsukawa. The two are still talking, but their voices get drowned out by the white noise in his ears. He shouldn’t have looked at Iwaizumi. Every time he looked at the man, all he saw was him dancing with that girl. But, even more annoying, he would also remember the feel of his warm hands on his body.

It hurt. It all just hurt too much.

Iwaizumi had apparently forgotten most of the events at the club, save for only a few bits and pieces of them drinking. But, if Oikawa was being honest, he was kind of relieved that he hadn’t remembered. He’d rather only have himself be plagued by the embarrassing memory of him getting rejected.

But he couldn’t continue to dwell on the situation any longer than he already has.

“So,” he began, speaking directly to the other two, “we’re going to go over the songs for tomorrow one last time, then if it’s alright, we can practice the new one, yeah?”

He’d been working on a new song practically nonstop since Saturday night. His feelings were his fuel, as many already knew, so it only made sense that an event like that at the club would spur him to write. It was finally done, so he wanted to see how the song sounded with everything put together. Plus, he felt really good about this one, and he knew their fans would eat it up once they got it produced.

“Yeah, but I don’t think you should sing any more than you need to,” Matsukawa said, his voice sounding light, but Oikawa knew that the words he spoke were serious. “I know you don’t like it, but we gotta be cautious about straining your vocal cords any further.”

“Yeah, you can just, like, hum or something,” Hanamaki added.

At that, Oikawa unconsciously reached up to lightly graze his throat with his fingertips. Matsukawa was right of course. He was known for pushing it too far, but how could he stop when the competition was already here? There was no time for breaks, especially if they wanted to make it to the finals. He rubbed at his neck and swallowed thickly. His vocal cords had been getting overused far easier nowadays, and he’s been singing his damn song a whole bunch. Coupling that with his sour mood and his inability to get any proper sleep, Oikawa’s throat already felt like shit.

Iwaizumi must have noticed the movements because the man leaned over into his space and whispered, “Are you alright?”

Oikawa immediately stopped rubbing at his throat. He minutely leaned away from him, not wanting to feel his too warm body heat on his side.

“Worried about me, Iwa-chan?” he questioned in a mockingly-sweet voice and with a cynical smile. He could do without Iwaizumi’s deceptive worrying. He didn’t need anymore false hope. 

Iwaizumi just huffed and shook his head lightly. The man took his hand off of the handle and brought it up to gently push at Oikawa’s head. “Whatever,” he said, returning his hand to grip at the handle, “just make sure you’re taking care of yourself.”

His heart stopped. He quickly looked away, feeling the familiar sting in the back of his too dry eyes. He said he didn’t want to get his hopes up, that he didn’t want to dwell on the situation any further, and yet, his body reacted like that to a few mere words. Oikawa’s hold on his tightened almost painfully around the metal bar.

“Always am,” he lied to himself under his breath.

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> Again, sorry for the late update but I hope you all enjoyed! See ya next week and happy holidays!


	15. Round 1: Never Satisfied

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> Hey y'all! It's been so long I'm so sorry. I'm trying to get back into the groove of things, so hopefully this chapter isn't shit. Hope you enjoy!
> 
> Love you all and thank you so much for the kudos and comments!! <3 <3 <3

“You’re on in ten,” the black-haired stagehand, Shimizu, told him as she passed him by.

“Alright, thanks!” Suga said before continuing down the hall. It didn’t take him long to reach their practice room. He walked through the door easily and went to where Daichi was seated in front of the two vanity mirrors. 

He placed his hand on the man's shoulder and faced out to everyone else in the room. “We’re on in ten, so do your finishing touches, then we got to go.”

Suga watched his bandmates as they took in the information. Tsukishima gave him a nod, slipping off his headphones so that they rested around his neck. The tall blonde got up from his seat on the couch and moved over to where his bass rested against a stand. He picked the instrument up and slung the strap over his shoulders. Suga watched as Tsukishima began plucking at each of his strings as the other hand skillfully twisted the little machine heads at the end of the neck.

The man seemed better, which relieved Suga greatly. Having all three of their younger members in a mood would have been a predicament, much like practice had been last night. But Tsukishima looked serene as he tuned his bass, the slight crease in his brows no longer omnipresent. Suga figured the blonde had fixed things with Yamaguchi, or had at least talked to him. He had been surprised when Tsukishima had contacted him on Sunday, and even more so when he heard what had happened between the two childhood friends. He’d never imagined Tsukishima and Yamaguchi would have had a fight like that, seeing as the two had an obvious soft spot for each other. 

But he also guessed it was bound to happen sooner or later. Tsukishima was not the best with feelings, whether they were someone else’s or his own. And Suga never really saw Yamaguchi as someone who would step on Tsukishima’s toes, even if it meant he couldn’t get a word in. But Suga could tell there was something Yamaguchi wanted, something _more_ from the blonde with the way Yamaguchi would look at Tsukishima as if he were the light that guided him in the night. So, he would ask one of the two about it later today, just so he can get a follow up and definitely not because he wanted in on the group drama.

And, speaking of which.

His eyes flitted across the room, skipping between the other two members, who had been stuck to opposite sides of the room since they’d arrived– or, more like Kageyama was going wherever Hinata wasn’t. There was something weird going on between their special little duo, but Suga still had yet to figure out exactly what it was. One moment, they were attached at the hip, feeding off of each other’s energies and creating music that made Suga truly believe in miracles, and the next, they couldn’t even look at each other. They had seemed fine at preliminaries, and even when they’d arrived at the club on Saturday, but at practice last night, Kageyama looked about ready to bite someone’s head off. So, Suga was sure something had happened between the two in that short span of time, and it was obviously affecting the both of them, but he wanted to give them time to try and work things out on their own. They were all adults, after all, and did not need to be guided by someone holding their hands to deal with their relationships. 

And it seemed to be moving in the right direction, seeing as though Hinata seemed a little bit better than yesterday. He looked less like a wounded puppy now, and there was a little glint of his usual determination in his eyes. Even Kageyama looked less like murder incarnate.

But, he conceded, moving to pick up his guitar from its own stand, if their problems continued to affect the way they performed, he may need to intervene.

“Alright guys,” Daichi’s deep voice spoke as he stood from his stool, “let’s head out.”

He and Daichi led the group out the door and toward the main stage. Hinata was walking directly behind them with a small pep in his step and a jittery smile adorning his face. The excitement of the competition appeared to be making the man forget somewhat about his troubles. Suga smiled.

Soon after, they reached backstage, passing by people with those professional-looking headsets and other stage technicians. They walked further through the bustle to get to the side of the large stage. Through the small opening, Suga could see the bands on stage cleaning up their instruments and personal equipment, having already finished their first round of the competition. He continued further to peek his head out from backstage. He peered over the crowd to see the two large screens overhead that faced the bands on stage. One screen was bright with digital confetti falling around the name of a band, while the other was grayed-out with the second band’s name. He brought his gaze back to the stage, seeing one band excitedly conversing and gathering their things as the other packed with lowered heads.

_Ah, the brutality of single elimination competitions._

He watched the band that lost a bit longer. Suga really hoped that that wouldn’t be their fate. He’d been so happy when they’d made it psat preliminaries and, now that they were finally here, at the real thing, he didn’t want it to end so quickly.

The two bands finally exited off the stage and a stagehand near them waved them to walk on. Suga clutched the base of his guitar’s neck and rolled his shoulders back before stepping out into the open. He walked forward, and the audience continued with their cheers. There was a huge crowd, and even though the intense stage lights made it difficult to see, he could make out that even the stadium seats further out were filled with nondescript figures.

 _So this is what it’s like to be a part of something big_ , he thought to himself. He’d finally made it. _They’d_ finally made it.

He looked over at his bandmates as they each took their spots on the left half of the stage. Suga knew that they still had a long way to go, but he was so excited to see where this journey would take them all. They were all strong individually, and once they figured out how to mesh with each other with time, he knew they’d become unforgettable.

Suga’s gaze flicked over to his right just as the band they were supposed to compete against made its way onto the stage. They began setting up their instruments on the right half of the stage, and it didn’t take long for Suga to recognize them. He didn’t know the members personally, but the band had made it into the competition last year as well. Not only had their music been good, but it was hard not to recognize them as three out of the four members were over six feet tall.

He turned back to his guitar. He was admittedly a little nervous, especially going against a band that had competed before, but more than anything, he was ready for the challenge. Suga knew what his band was capable of, and if they just played as they normally did, they’d be able to woo the crowd in their favor.

The announcers began talking, their voices filling the entire venue, but he tuned them out as he plugged the aux into the amp behind him, making sure it was not live before plugging the other end into his guitar. He adjusted the strap on his shoulder one last time before he flicked on the amplifier.

He let out a slow breath. This was what he was meant to do. He felt the nerves just like any other normal person, but this was what he loved to do. He knew he was the not best guitarist, not even in this venue alone, but that didn’t mean he wasn’t skilled enough to be here.

He was going to play his best so that his band would be able to continue playing together.

“Alright,” one of the announcers called out over the speakers excitedly, “now that our bands look ready, let’s begin! On the left side of the stage, we have The Iron Wall, a returning band from last year’s competition, in which they made it all the way to the second round! And, on the right, we’ve got the new and upcoming band with their first time making an appearance in this competition, Take Flight!”

The crowd continued to erupt in cheers as the announcers spoke.

“Like for all of the bands, we will be flipping a coin to see who will start us off!” the second announcer said excitedly. “Heads will be Take Flight!, and tails will be The Iron Wall,” they said just as animation of a coin flipping appeared on the screens across the venue, a few facing the crowd and the two large ones toward them so they could see the results as well. The coin spun for what felt like an unnecessarily long amount of time before it began to slow. It eventually stopped, revealing an illustration of a snake head with its fangs out menacingly.

The crowd cheered even louder as the first announcer spoke once again. “Alright, folks! It looks like Take Flight! will be taking the first performance! Let’s see what these newbies are made of!”

Suga took in another deep breath. He didn’t know what he was hoping for, but he figured going first would be good so that he doesn’t get overwhelmed by the other band’s performance. He slowly exhaled, letting a confident smile crawl across his face. He turned to look over his shoulder at Daichi, who flashed him a bright, reassuring smile in return. Looking back at the crowd, his eyes married with confidence and his smile grew.

“Hello everyone!” he called out into his microphone, receiving screams in response. “Thank you for having us tonight, we are… Take Flight!” he screamed, prompting Daichi to begin hitting his sticks together with a call of “One, two, three, four!” and signal Tsukishima to begin playing.

** Stargazing - The Neighborhood ( **Bold** \- Kageyama, _Italics_ \- Hinata)**

**Take it from the top**

**If I start, I just can't stop**

**All the patience that I've got**

**It's not enough to save me**

**It's a race against the clock**

**But we don't wanna watch**

**Keep running 'til we're lost**

**You got me thinkin'**

Kageyama’s smooth voice flowed through the speakers and over the audience, bringing the people of the venue into a lull. Tsukishima continued to pluck at his bass for the first verse and, like this, with nothing else to distract you from it, Kageyama’s talent was clear. He’d always been able to sing so effortlessly, and it enamored Suga.

**_Pull it out of park, put it in drive_ **

**_I can feel your heart beatin' with mine_ **

**_Underneath the stars, lookin' for a sign_ **

**_Glowin' in the dark 'til the sun shines_ **

**_Made it pretty far on the first try_ **

**_Might've set the bar a little too high_ **

**_Started with a spark now we're on fire_ **

**_Started with a spark_ **

Hinata began to sing with Kageyama for the pre-chorus, his backup vocals soft and barely noticeable, only there to help uplift the darker tones of Kageyama’s voice. From the moment he heard Hinata sing, Suga knew that the orange-haired man’s bright voice would clash with Kageyama’s in a way that was intriguing and just somehow worked.

**Ooh-ooh, baby**

**You take me on a ride**

**Gonna drive me crazy**

**Ooh-ooh, baby**

**I feel like we've made it pretty far**

**Now we're stargazing**

The chorus hit with Daichi and Suga joining in. However, it was meant to be a lot more hyped up, but Kageyama’s voice was too soft. There was no energy in it, and Suga tried his best to just focus on his own playing and bringing up his own energy into the song, but that was hard when his performance wasn’t meant to be the main attraction. This song was meant to highlight Kageyama’s vocals and emotions behind it that would hopefully be brought out with Hinata’s help.

**Push until it pops**

**Tryna clear my thoughts**

**Better keep the A/C on for me**

**Not enough, yeah**

**Windows start to fog**

**Clothing coming off**

**Makin' it too hot**

**You got me thinkin'**

Suga plucked at his guitar as Kageyama started the second verse. He watched as the raven-haired man sang, barely moving to the music and just going through the motions instead of performing. Just singing because he felt he had to.

It may not seem like it to an outsider, but having known Kageyama for nearly two years now, Suga can tell that he’d changed a lot ever since they met Hinata. Even the way the two interacted with each other had shifted, once having been hostile and unwilling to something steady and constant. The two had become really close, even closer than Suga could have ever imagined, in such a short amount of time. Hinata was good for Kageyama, Suga could tell. Hinata was something new, something entirely different to what Kageyama was used to, with emotions and energy that the two were able to share and feed off of each other. There were the beginnings of something amazing sprouting between the young bond between the two, a spark that could grow into a wildfire and take the music industry’s breath away.

**_Pull it out of park, put it in drive_ **

**_I can feel your heart beatin' with mine_ **

**_Underneath the stars, lookin' for a sign_ **

**_Glowin' in the dark 'til the sun shines_ **

**_We made it pretty far on the first try_ **

**_Might've set the bar a little too_ ** **high** **_, yeah_ **

**It started with a spark now we're on fire**

But, now, they were facing a setback.

It was just Kageyama and Hinata’s voices as the latter played on his keyboard. Suga could tell that Hinata was trying to add energy back into the song, but Suga knew all too well how hard that was when the main gear in their system wasn’t in it. Hinata’s head was turned towards Kageyama, trying to stick with the performance they had planned for the song. The two were meant to conjure emotions into the song to enrapture the audience and make their eyes gravitate to the space between Kageyama and Hinata as they played to each other– for each other– but Kageyama just kept his gaze straight ahead.

**Ooh-ooh, baby**

**You take me on a ride**

**Gonna drive me crazy**

**Ooh-ooh, baby**

**I feel like we've made it pretty far**

**Now we're stargazing**

Kageyama continued to sing, his voice soft and easygoing, and yet everything else about him claimed to be forced. But then, an instrumental came and Suga did his best to bring energy into his performance, strumming at his guitar with a giddy smile pointed toward the audience. Hinata joined in, pressing the keys with his own bout of enthusiasm that coupled with Suga’s. Suga just hoped it was enough to save the song.

**Ooh-ooh, baby**

**I feel like we've made it pretty far**

Kageyama sang softly into his mic as the end of the song came. Hinata pressed out a few chords as Daichi built up the percussion, and then they all came to an abrupt stop.

There was a small beat of silence, where Suga could only hear his heaving breaths. The cheers of the crowd roared in his ears and the beams lights faded into stars, like as if he were underwater. He smiled softly to himself. These were the moments he lived for, the breaths in between performances where time seems to slow and the world stops spinning.

But then it all came back to him in a rush as the other band began to play. The enthusiastic giant among the bunch, with odd blonde and black hair, hit his drum set with vigor, albeit a little sloppily. But the air was charged with thick energy as the crowd cheered along to the Iron Wall’s pop punk song.

The crowd really seemed to like the song, it was enjoyable and solid, even if the genre wasn’t everyone’s favorite. Suga tried to keep himself from frowning. Their opponents appeared to be at the top of their game, and he knew that their own performance was not up to par with how they performed in the preliminaries. Kageyama was regressing back to his usual, lone-performer self, and Suga was worried that the judges would notice the slight incohesiveness of their band. He just hoped that they’d be able to swing the crowd in their favor.

The Iron Wall finished their song with a scratch of their guitar strings, sending the crowd into an excited frenzy. Suga took in a deep breath. They just had to feed off of the energy their opponents created and keep the crowd on the steady buzz.

**You’ve Got Something - The Jungle Giants ( **Bold** \- Kageyama, _Italics_ \- Hinata)**

_I'll be taking the hearts that_

_You're breaking and putting them in a jar_

_So when you're sixty or old and you're dizzy_

_They'll tell you who you are_

Hinata started them off for this song, and Suga was thankful for it. The man was able to keep the audience on their toes, taking his microphone off of the stand and walking up to the front of the stage as Suga picked at his guitar.

_'Cause you've got something that everybody wants,_

_I’m having trouble with my do's and my don'ts_

_All my secrets why does everybody know, know, know_

_Well you've got something, you've got something_

Tsukishima soon joined in, picking up the pace of the song as Hinata slowly walked across the stage, his gaze trained out over the audience. Then, Daichi joined and the song began to build up as the crowd cheered with excitement, Hinata’s voice bright and full.

**I'll be taking the hearts that**

**You're breaking and putting them in a jar,**

**So when you're sixty or old and you're dizzy,**

**They'll tell you who you are**

Kageyama began singing the second verse, but his voice was still gruff and plain, chipping away at the energy Hinata just built up for them. Suga tried his best not to be irritated at the man, but really, this was a competition. Wasn’t Kageyama supposed to try his best, if not for them, then for himself?

**_'Cause you've got something that everybody wants,_ **

**_I’m having trouble with my do's and my don'ts,_ **

**_All my secrets why does everybody know, know, know_ **

**_Well you've got something, you've got something_ **

This part of the song was just supposed to be Kageyama singing, but then Hinata joined in. The orange-haired man bounced around the stage as he sang, bringing back the energy as he screamed in his microphone with a large smile and intensity that was sure to be palpable even from the far back of the audience. Kageyama looked caught off guard by it, his eyes widening and finally landing on Hinata for the first time since they stepped on stage. Suga watched as the expression quickly faded just as fast as it had appeared, but now Kageyama began to sing a little louder, his eyes still trained on Hinata as he walked back and forth on the edge of the stage.

They both finished singing, prompting an instrumental. Suga strummed at his guitar, a lazy smile pulling at his lips and he felt the press of the strings on the pads of his fingers.

_I'll be taking the hearts that_

_You're breaking and putting them in a jar_

_So when you're sixty or old and you're dizzy_

_They'll tell you who you are_

Hinata began singing once again, loudly and toward the audience. Every movement he made was with purpose, and Suga saw, not for the first time, that Hinata was just born to perform. _Damn the kids for being so naturally talented_ , he thought with a grin as his playing faded out.

_You've got something_

_You've got something_

**You've got something**

**You've got something**

**_You've got something_ **

**_You've got something_ **

**_You've got something_ **

**_You've got something_ **

Tsukishima picked at his bass as Kageyama and Hinata sang, their voices echoing loud across the large venue. Daichi and Suga joined in, building up the song into another instrumental that was even more intense than the last one. Daichi’s hits resounded with more force, much like the Iron Wall’s drummer. Suga played again, strumming at his guitar even as the strings bit harshly into his fingers. He smirked, loving how their music sounded when they were like this. Hinata really had a way with people.

**Well you've got something, you've got something**

_You've got something, you've got something_

_Yeah, yeah_

**You've got something, you've got something, something**

_You've got something, you've got something_

_Yeah, yeah_

Hinata and Kageyama’s voices bounce off of each other once again, the latter putting more effort into his singing as they near the end of the song and energies are high. Suga figured his want to be better than Hinata allowed him to forget about whatever troubles plagued his mind for this moment. Hinata walked closer to Kageyama with each lyric sung, and Kageyama’s eyes followed his movements with such intensity as they sang together. But then, Suga saw that once Hinata was returned to his microphone stand at Kageyama’s side, the spell was broken and Kageyama’s head hung low as Hinata finished off the song.

Suga plucked a few soft chords as the song ended. The crowd ignited with cheers and Suga felt like his nerves were electrified, his blood on fire. His fingertips burned, but it felt good. It was familiar. He hoped these feelings never went away.

The Iron Wall began to play their final song, and Suga took the chance to look over at their talented duo. Their performance definitely could have been better, but they hadn’t done as horribly as he had worried.

Hinata was openly staring at the side of Kageyama’s face, completely ignoring the other band. But Kageyama was ignoring Hinata just as much. The orange-haired boy stayed silent as the Iron Wall played out another erratic pop punk song, but there was an unmistakable spark in Hinata’s eyes as he continued to stare at Kageyama.

It was a short song, and the Iron Wall finished another successful song that left the crowd buzzed. They all waited a few anxious moments as the judges deliberated their scores and the announcers asked the audience members to put in their votes through the Tokyo Spring Competition’s website, which allowed the crowd to choose which band they had enjoyed the most.

Suga began picking at the skin around his nails just as Daichi came to stand next to him. They all faced out toward the crowd, staring at the large digital screens that held their fate.

Then, the screens lit up. The announcers were speaking, but Suga could not hear a single word they were saying.

Their scores appeared on each screen, two large circles with a number in each appeared on one screen for Take Flight!, and the same thing for the Iron Wall on the other screen. The left number showed the amount of votes they got from the crowd, as well as a small percentage of the total count at the bottom. Then, on the left, showed the cumulative score from the judges and the score breakdown of the categories beneath it.

Suga held his breath as the screen changed.

In a flashy animation, the two scores were combined to show their overall score.

And then, Suga saw confetti. Their screen lit up with rainbow-colored digital confetti and the score was pushed aside for their band’s name to take up the screen.

They won.

Suga’s eyes gazed at the screen, unblinking. He felt that familiar sting as he looked at the number on the bottom of their screen and the one on the other.

They had won, but barely. They had just barely gotten over 50% of the crowd’s votes, and their score from the judges was not as high as Suga would have anticipated. And even Iron Wall’s score was scarily close to theirs, too close for comfort.

But even then, Suga couldn’t help the pride he felt as he saw their band’s name on that large screen, lit up with confetti. He felt Daichi take his hand and give it a firm squeeze.

 _‘It’s real, we did it,’_ was what that little gesture said. He finally tore his eyes away from the screen and turned to Daichi, giving him a dazzlingly bright smile before looking at the other members of their band.

Tsukishima looked unfazed, but his face had that confident calm as if he knew this was going to be the outcome. Suga’s gaze flicked over to the other two just as Hinata reached out to Kageyama, but the black-haired man already had his back to all of them as he stalked off of the stage. 

Suga stared at Kageyama’s retreating figure until it was shrouded by the shadows of backstage. He sighed. It was like Kageyama never left his moody teenager phase. He took his hand out of Daichi’s and walked over to Hinata, who was also still staring at the space Kageyama had just occupied. Suga placed his hand on Hinata’s head and gave a firm ruffle.

“Let’s go,” Suga said softly, shooting Hinata a bright and gentle smile that he hoped was encouraging as he walked past and followed Kageyama back to their changing room.

* * *

Right as Hinata was about to walk into their room backstage, Kageyama was walking out. He passed them without a glance, his chin held high and eyes straight ahead. Hinata paused. He let his eyes watch his back as he walked down the hall. Kageyama was still wearing the orange bomber jacket from their performance over his normal clothes. It looked too good on him, it should have been criminal. The orange made his blue eyes pop even more than the black smudged liner on his bottom water line.

Hinata shook his head and cursed his mind. It definitely was not the time for those thoughts. But, ever since he’d talked with Tsukishima, his mind had been running away with thoughts of ‘what if’ and ‘just maybe’. It had been distracting. Kageyama was _so_ distracting, especially now that Hinata knew that he–

Before he could think more about it, a voice called out from the opposite end of the hall.

“Ah, Hinata-kun!” he heard someone exclaim. His head whipped toward the sound excitedly, recognizing the voice.

“Yacchan!” he shouted back in greeting. He lifted his hands above his head as the blonde bounded up to him. She called out “Congratulations!” as she crashed into his body, her arms wrapping around his middle. He let his arms fall around her shoulders and gave a big squeeze before they both pulled away. Mirroring smiles of excitement adorned their faces.

“You guys did so good!” she told him. “I can’t believe you won!” she started before her face fell, “Ah, I mean– I knew you would win, I just mean, uh–”

Hinata cut off her nervous rambling with a bright laugh. “It’s okay! I know what you mean.” He put a hand on her shoulder and gave her a huge smile. “Thanks, Yachi! How’ve you been?”

Yachi gave him a timid smile in return. “I’ve been good. Trying to get through school before break, but other than that things are good! How about you?”

“Ah, I’m not sure actually,” Hinata mumbled before he could think. Almost immediately, Yachi’s face fell once again, but this time from concern. He brought his hands up quickly. “No! No, it’s okay! No need to worry, just some things came up, but I’m figuring them out!”

Yachi gave him a skeptical, exasperated look. “Are you sure? You know you can tell me if something’s wrong. Is it Terushima? If he’s not cleaning his side of the room again I can talk to him.”

Hinata let out another bark of laughter. The last time he had let it slip that Terushima left his side of the dorm somehow even messier than his own, Yachi had taken the liberty to tell his roommate that people should respect shared spaces. “No, no, it’s not that. I promise, everything will be fine.”

Yachi sighed. “Fine, but let me know if you need anything. I’m gonna be working on a project for class with Terushima and Yamaguchi, so I’ll probably be over soon. I’ll bring some goodies!”

Hinata’s face lit up. “Yay!” he cheered, “You always make the best stuff, Yacchan!”

A blush timidly made its way to her face and she waved a hand in front of her. “Ah, no, they’re not that good.”

“I’m serious! They’re so good, you could probably sell them in The Little Crow!”

Yachi let out a light chuckle. “Thank you, Hinata. Well, I’ve gotta get back to work, but I’ll see you later,” she said, heading back down the hallway. “Congrats again!”

Hinata bid goodbye with a wave before stepping into their room, shucking off his leather jacket as he did. A small, lingering smile pulled at his lips. Even if things with Kageyama were strained at the moment, it didn’t mean that he couldn’t be excited about winning.

They’d won their first, actual round of the competition, and Hinata was still buzzing from the adrenaline. He loved performing and, tonight, he felt the crowd was like putty in the palm of his hand, an entire entity that was one with him.

Up on stage, memories of his audition for school came flooding back. But, instead of bringing the feelings of rejection and sadness that had been tied to those memories, he felt happy. Proud, even. After that audition, he hadn’t known if he’d ever play music again. He had lost hope in the one thing he loved most.

But look at him now.

He’d just performed in front of an entire venue filed with people, cheering along to the music, _his_ music. And they’d won, against all odds.

This had been his dream since the moment he watched that pianist on the small television in his living room. He had wanted to make people feel something with music, and he’d achieved that tonight. But there was still a long way for them to go.

He knew their scores from the judges had not been great, but he also knew that they weren’t at their best tonight. 

Of course, somehow, his mind always wondered to Kageyama. 

Hinata wasn’t exactly sure what he needed to do, but just that he needed to do something. He and Kageyama were best when they worked together, building off of each other’s energy and constantly striving for something greater than themselves. That competitiveness had shown today, toward the end of their last song. His eyes weren’t able to leave Kageyama as the man sang then, the lyrics flowing out of his mouth effortlessly and the stage lights reflecting his passion in the blue of Kageyama’s irises. There was a glimpse of what they could be, what they were truly capable of, and Hinata couldn’t get enough of the feeling.

He wanted to be able to sing like that with Kageyama forever.

Hinata quickly changed out of his stage clothes and headed out toward the audience with the rest of Take Flight! to watch the rest of the competition. He was really excited to watch The Currents play. He’d been texting Kenma a lot recently, and he couldn’t want to finally see the man.

They made it to the open space of the venue, the crowd still loud and charged up even as the two new bands were just setting up their equipment. They ended up in a large sectioned-off area toward the right side of the stage. Hinata figured that it would be used as a VIP for a regular concert.

Hinata settled in, going toward the front of the section so that he was closest to the stage. The Currents were setting up on the opposite end of the stage, but probably sensing someone was staring at him, Kenma’s eyes found his. Hinata waved excitedly as Kenma shot him a nervous wave before looking away to go back to whatever he was doing. Hinata sighed, a happy smile on his face. It looked like Kenma was doing well, so this performance would definitely be good.

Hinata took a glance to his side, curious who he had unconsciously grouped himself with, and nearly screamed. He came to stand next to Kageyama without even realizing. He went rigid, expecting the tall man to turn to him and scream in his face to stop following around, but Hinata’s shoulders fell when he glanced up at his face. It was calm save for the little crease between his brows as he stared off in the distance. Hinata guessed he was thinking about something, which must have been important if Kageyama hadn’t even noticed him.

He took the chance to stare at the side of Kageyama’s face for a bit. He’d done a lot of that when they were performing, since he and Kageyama were supposed to have looked at each other while they sang their first song, but the latter had refused to even give him a glance.

 _He’s really pretty when he’s not yelling_ , the thought flitted into his mind easily. _Even if he was yelling, he’d still be too pretty_ , he argued with himself. 

His eyes trailed down from his dark bangs, to his thick lashes, the tops of his high cheekbones, and down his sharp jaw. Even the slope of his nose seemed perfect, like he had been so honorable in a past life to grant him good looks and natural talent.

When he had started to find Kageyama so attractive, he wasn’t sure. Maybe he had always thought it, but never allowed himself to admit it since it had seemed that Kageyama hated him as if he had personally killed his grandmother. Well, even if it seemed Kageyama hated him now, Hinata thought that there was a time not too long ago where Kageyama wouldn’t turn away in disgust at the mention of his name.

Hinata’s gaze left Kageyama as the announcers said who won the coin toss. He looked at the band in front of him, not recognizing them. The band consisted of four girls, all of them very pretty and decked out in amazing outfits. They’d won the coin toss, so they’d be playing first.

Not long after, the girls performed their first song. It was a pop song that the crowd seemed to know, singing along to the lyrics with the lead singer. Hinata had to admit that it was intimidating. It just reminded him how much further they had to go. A lot of the bands in this competition were already pretty well known. He wanted to be like that. He wanted to be so good that people he didn’t even know would recognize his music.

Their drummer hit the last few beats of the song, and the crowd went wild. Hinata looked up at them in awe. The girls were impressive, and it was obvious that people liked their music style. They’d definitely be a hard opponent to beat.

His eyes flicked over to The Currents’ side of the stage, and he saw Kenma standing in front of his microphone, his face calm and chin held high with a confidence rarely seen on his form in front of so many people.

This was going to be exciting.

**Stuck With Me - The Neighborhood ( _Italics_ \- Kenma, Underline - Akaashi)**

_Now I'm feeling guilty for it_

_Didn't wanna leave_

_I got caught up in the forest_

_Hangin' with the trees_

_Realised I'm less important_

_Than I thought I'd be_

_I'm not tellin' you for any certain reason but_

It was only once Kenma started playing that Hinata noticed the keyboard in front of him. His eyes widened before he gave a loud cheer, completely ignoring the fact that Kageyama was right next to him. He hadn’t known Kenma could play the piano. The man’s voice floated over the venue as he pressed out slow chords on the keyboard.

_Now I'm feelin' guilty for it_

_I didn't wanna leave, no_

_I got caught up in the forest_

_Hangin' with the trees, yeah, yeah_

The music began to pick up. Kenma’s face remained calm, his mouth moving around the words easily with his eyes low and half-lidded, scanning over the crowd slowly.

_Realized I'm less important (oh, yeah)_

_Than I thought I'd be, yeah_

_I'm not tellin' you for any certain reasons but_

_I just want your empathy_

There was then a short instrumental with Kenma playing the keyboard, his head down as he watched his fingers press out the chords and making his hair shade his face from view.

_Our lives keep on gettin' shorter_

_Losin' opportunity_

_There might be some other ways of looking at it but_

_That's just what I see_

_I been gettin' over myself_

_Thinkin' about what you need_

_Then I realised that neither of us matter_

_What's reality, yeah?_

The Currents continue playing in complete harmony, Bokuto and Akaashi keeping the smooth beat with Kuroo picking at his guitar. Kenma was getting into the music a little more, moving and swaying his body as he let out his voice.

_You are stuck with me_

_So I guess I'll be sticking with_

_You are stuck with me_

_So I guess I'll be sticking with you_

Kenma and Akaashi sang together, the bottle-blonde’s voice going lower and gruffer, more like his usually bored tone as he spoke the lyrics. He played another few chords on his keyboard before continuing.

_Couldn't be more different than me_

_So each time we agree_

_I feel fulfilled_

_You_ _always end up stickin' to me_

_Somehow, somehow_

Hinata was always amazed by Kenma’s talent. He knew the man didn’t like to overexert himself, but even then, Kenma was incredible. And when he did give it his all, Kenma could produce such amazing things.

_You are stuck with me_

_So I guess I'll be sticking with_

_You are stuck with me_

_So I guess I'll be sticking with_

_You are stuck with me_

_So I guess I'll be sticking with_

_You are stuck with me_

_So I guess I'll be sticking with_

_You are stuck with me_

_So I guess I'll be sticking with_

_You are stuck with me_

The crowd began to sing with Kenma and Akaashi, and once again, Hinata was hit with the realization that he still had a long way to go. Everyone here was so talented. Everyone here had the dream to go big, to become something. There were people much more experienced than him, and even Kenma had made it to the finals in this competition before.

But that wasn’t going to stop him. Hinata knew that it wasn’t going to be easy, music has never been easy for him. But he was willing to go anything to get to the top.

_So I guess I'll be sticking with_

_You are stuck with me_

_So I guess I'll be sticking with_

_You are stuck with me_

_So I guess I'll be sticking with_

_You are stuck with me_

_So I guess I'll be sticking with_

_You are stuck with me_

They ended their song and, probably hoping to build off of the momentum, the other band didn’t take long to start their final song. It was another popular song that the crowd gushed over. During their performance, Hinata watched as Kenma moved toward Kuroo, the taller man handing Kenma a water bottle. Kenma took it before taking a seat on the floor of the stage in front of Kuroo. He saw Kuroo double over with laughter, but the sound was lost behind the song playing over the speakers.

Kenma sipped at his water, sitting cross-legged on the stage as the other band continued their song. Not until they completely finished their performance did Kenma get up. The man stood whilst handing his water to Kuroo before heading back to stand in front of his microphone.

Kenma took in a deep breath before Bokuto hit his drums and Kenma began singing.

**Straight Face - Younger Hunger ( _Italics_ \- Kenma, **Bold** \- Kuroo, Underline - Akaashi)**

_You know that I can't keep a straight face_

_I wanna kiss your neck and touch your face_

_I wanna hold you on a cold day_

_You know I'm falling fast, falling your way_

Hinata’s eyes widened at the lyrics, having never heard Kenma say something so intimate, even if it was just for a song. But he also found it kind of ironic, since Kenma probably had one of the best RBF’s he’d ever seen.

_I don't wanna waste your time_

_I got no money and I'm dead inside_

_Plus I got problems that are hard to hide_ (to hide)

_I'm addicted to your face_

_You're the kind that I always crave_

_Just one taste and I'm far away_ (away)

Kenma cradled his microphone as he sang before taking it off of the stand. He walked a few steps up, staying just in front of his stand before he walked toward the middle of the stage.

 _I don't smile enough_ (enough)

_But the second you show up_

_You know that I can't keep a straight face_

_I wanna kiss your neck and touch your face_

_I wanna hold you on a cold day_

_You know I'm falling fast, falling your way_

Kenma kept walking, slowly making his way to stand at Kuroo’s side. He sang to him, bringing a hand up to caress his face as he sang that particular lyric and keeping eye contact. The crowd went wild, somehow getting even louder than they already were. Even Kuroo seemed surprised, his shoulders jumping minutely. Kenma stayed there, holding his face and the two of them staring at each other until the last line of the chorus, and he pulled his hand back to turn back toward the crowd.

_You're sweet like a lemonade_

_Medicine for a foggy day_

_Just one taste is_ enough

He sang these few lines to the crowd, walking slowly backward. He reached his stand and went back to stand behind it, replacing his microphone.

 _I don't smile enough_ (enough)

_But the second you show up_

_You know that I can't keep a straight face_

_I wanna kiss your neck and touch your face_

_I wanna hold you on a cold day_

_You know I'm falling fast, falling your way_

**I don't smile enough** (enough) _,_ **but the second you show up**

_I can't keep a straight face_

_You know that I can't keep a straight face_

The song ended with a few final strums from Kuroo, and the crowd erupted into boisterous cheers. Hinata figured that the little bit of affection Kenma had shown to Kuroo was the cause of such a reaction. The two were usually pretty comfortable with touching each other, just little things in passing that Hinata noticed, but he guessed their fans weren’t privy to such displays.

It took only a few minutes for the results to come in. The bands participating in the competition weren’t allowed to cast votes, even if they were technically a part of the audience.

Hinata looked up at the large screens at the sides of the stage, facing the audience. He held his breath for a few, long seconds before the results appeared.

His jaw dropped.

The Currents had won… but by a landslide.

The two bands had scored pretty evenly based on the scores from the judges, with The Currents coming up with a slight edge on technicality and creativity. But the votes from the crowd…

The Currents had received over 80% of the voted from the audience. Hinata hadn’t even thought it was possible to sway that much of the crowd in your favor. And he hadn’t expected such a turnout, since the other band had the crowd singing along with their songs as well.

He looked back at Kenma, who had just taken Kuroo’s guitar while the other began to pick up the equipment around him.

Who knew Kenma’s band was so popular.

He couldn’t wait to go up against them. He’d made it this far, and there was no way he was going to back down now. He stole a glance at Kageyama beside him, who was still looking to be in a daze. Hinata resolved his thoughts. He needed to fix whatever was wrong between them, and soon, so that they could have a fighting chance.

* * *

Oikawa’s grip on his microphone tightened.

“Well, we aren’t surprised by the winner of this round; however, The Grand Court didn’t seem to be the same band we’ve grown to know and love. Their lead singer, Oikawa Tooru, had seemed off of his game, giving us a performance we’ve never seen from him, and honestly never expected.”

_Shut up, please, just shut up._

“They’ve received a score from the judges that’s a lot lower than previous performances in the Spring Tokyo Competition. “

_I know it was terrible._

“Let’s just hope that this was a fluke, and Oikawa Tooru is able to get back on his feet to deliver his usually outstanding performances.”

His back was turned to the crowd, but he held his head up high as he collected his things.

They’d barely beaten the other band. The announcers had noticed a change in his singing, even though Oikawa really had tried to perform as normal. They were simple songs as well. There weren’t any hard runs, and it was just supposed to be his smooth voice and charming performance to tie the songs together.

But he couldn’t do it.

Every time he tried to make his voice louder, to push a little more power and emotion into his voice, he’d just wind himself. He hadn’t been able to sleep at all last night, and so he decided to use the time of restlessness to tweak the lyrics of his new song. They’d practiced it last night without the words and it had sounded good, but Oikawa was a perfectionist and the song meant a lot to him.

But his tiredness didn’t excuse that shit performance he just had.

He finished gathering his things and headed off of the stage with the rest of The Grand Court. Hanamaki and Matsukawa talked casually to each other ahead of him, apparently unfazed by the shitshow that just ensued. He knew that that wasn’t necessarily the case, but he couldn’t deal with the thought of them scrutinizing his terrible job without outright telling him.

Did they think he was that fragile?

He looked down at his hand, his palm open and facing up at him. Maybe he had become fragile. Where had the boy that thought he was the best in the entire world gone? What happened to the boy that would do anything, would push himself past his limit just to ensure a good performance? He clenched his fist tight, feeling his nails bite into his skin. Had everything really changed that much without him even realizing?

“Hey, Oikawa.”

Oikawa froze. He unclenched his fist and dropped his hand at his side. The muscles of his cheeks tugged upward painfully as he turned around.

“Yes, Iwa-chan?” he asked, his voice lilting playfully even thought he could feel his eyes begin to twitch with the forced smile. His gaze fell on Iwaizumi’s face for only a split second before darting away and resting on something just behind the man. 

“Are you okay?” he heard Iwaizumi ask in his soft, gruff voice. “I know that performance was hard for you, um, and I don’t know if you’re just tired or stressed or something, but I don’t think you should worry about this round. I know what you’re capable of,” he began to say, and Oikawa’s eyes landed on Iwaizumi and immediately latched onto the other’s gaze. He saw the same, warm green eyes that always looked at him, and it made him want to scream. _Why was he being nice?_ “And you’re amazing, so–”

“Stop,” Oikawa let out before he could stop himself. He knew he must look crazy, but he couldn’t take it. _Why was he doing this?_ “I don’t want to hear it,” he bit out in a low voice, letting his head finally drop.

Maybe it was because he didn’t want the pity. Or maybe it was because he couldn’t deal with Iwaizumi’s kindness. The same kindness he fell for. The same kindness he would continue to fall for over and over again, as many times as it would take for him to finally never be capable of love again.

He took in a deep, shaky breath. He knew it was useless. Things were already done, and he had to deal with the cards he’d been dealt. Oikawa exhaled slowly, relaxing his features and shoulders with it. He picked his head up, looking at Iwaizumi with a level gaze. He didn’t even bother to put on a smile this time.

“I’m fine.”

When he’d become unable to tell Iwaizumi everything, he didn’t know. The only thing he did know was that, at this point, the only thing he had left to do was throw himself into his music. He just needed to push himself as far as he needed to, even if he ended up breaking in the process.

His eyes left Iwaizumi and he walked away.

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> Again, so sorry for the slow update. I've been in a rut but I'm tryna pull myself outta it as I get ready to start school again, so I promise I am trying to get the chapters out!
> 
> Also, just for fun: The Iron Wall is made up of Aone, Koganegawa, Futakuchi, and Moniwa, and the girl band is the managers Shirofuku, Suzumeda, Misaki, and Kuribayashi :)


	16. Round 2: BS

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> HEY HEY i'm back :) (hopefully lol) I just moved back to school and it was my first week of classes but I finally found some free time to update! I hope y'all enjoy it, and I'm super excited to finish off the rest of this story!
> 
> ALSO huge shout out to anime-catt yet again for suggesting two of the songs used in today's chapter! 
> 
> Anyway, much love and thank you all for the support! Hope ya enjoy!

Kageyama’s heavy footsteps echoed in the empty hallway, the cheers from the crowd just a faint buzz. His eyes focused on the tops of his shoes, taking in each movement of his steps with too keen interest.

He needed to figure everything out. 

The past couple of days had been all too much. His mind was constantly swimming with thoughts that couldn’t be deciphered and emotions he couldn’t even begin to sort out.

Hinata was too much.

Every time the man got close to him, the inner workings of his mind got even more scrambled and all brain function seemed to just stop. So, keeping his distance from the human tangerine was the only thing he knew to do in order to try and get everything in order. Kageyama knew that he’d need to fix things with Hinata, and soon since their playing was suffering from whatever was going on between them, but he couldn’t talk to Hinata if he didn’t know  _ what _ to talk about.

What had even happened at the club?

Why had he been so angry after it? Was it the way he had let himself be swept away by Hinata? Was it because Hinata had left him on the dance floor after having begged him? Was it because he left for another guy?

Kageyama shook his head, trying to erase the feelings that came with thinking about the blonde stranger at the club. About the way he had addressed Hinata by his first name. The way he had somehow made Hinata forget all about him in that moment.

He stopped walking, his shoes making an ugly screeching sound as he came to a halt. Kageyama stuffed his hands deep down into his pockets.

He needed time. But that was the one thing he felt like he couldn’t have. Time would allow him to figure out why he had reacted the way he did, why he had felt so angry, so  _ disappointed _ , at the club that night. With enough time, he’d be able to sort out this new and unwelcome feeling in his chest that he got every time he looked or even thought about the other man.

Seriously, what was wrong with him?

Maybe he was sick. Maybe Hinata had given him some sort of illness, and that was why he felt so tired recently, why his voice just never seemed to come out loud enough, why his fingertips would tingle and his heart would pound out of his chest.

“Kageyama?” a voice he recognized all too well asked  _ way _ too close to him, causing him to basically jump out of his skin.

Kageyama whirled around, and his eyes immediately caught on orange. His heart banged against his ribcage and he flexed his fingers as that tingling sensation came back.

This was definitely some kind of illness.

His gaze latched onto eyes of melted honey and that dopey, open look Hinata always had as if the real world could never touch him. This was the closest he’d been to Hinata in days and–  _ has Hinata always been this warm? _

Hinata was radiating heat like the sun. It was suffocating. He quickly looked away, peering over at the far wall as he took a small step back to try and get rid of the weird feeling in his stomach.

“Why are you here,” Kageyama deadpanned, before mentally cringing at himself. His mouth moved upon its own accord before he could even think, but he definitely hadn’t meant to say anything like that.

Hinata put his hands on his hips and jutted out his bottom lip in a pout. Kageyama’s eyes briefly followed the movement before flicking back away. 

“I should be asking you that,  _ Bakageyama _ ,” Hinata asked, his voice a bit frustrated, but Kageyama didn’t really notice. He hadn’t been called that nickname in what felt like years, and for some reason he kind of missed it.  _ What? _ “What’re you just standing in the middle of the hallway for?” Hinata continued before Kageyama could think further about it.

He couldn’t very well say, ‘thinking about you’, so the next best thing was, “None of your goddamn business.”

Kageyama groaned internally. Fuck this entire situation. Fuck Hinata.

He watched as Hinata’s eyebrows furrowed deeper, and that was when Kageyama finally noticed the bags under his eyes and remembered all the unanswered texts in his messages. Shit. Now was not the time. He needed to get away before he said any other stupid shit.

Without another word, he turned back around and briskly walked away. He heard Hinata sputter behind him, but he kept heading down the hall and thanked the universe as a bathroom came into his vision. He quickly stepped into it and, once inside, he looked behind him. He half expected Hinata to have followed him inside. He sighed, out of relief or disappointment he wasn’t sure. The sound turned into a groan as he walked up to the counter. Kageyama rested his hands on the cool marble, letting his head hang low between his shoulders as he stared at the white porcelain sink. 

He was an idiot. He had been thinking about how best to approach Hinata once his thoughts were all in order, but this mix of feelings had been plaguing him for days now and he was still just as confused as he had been from the start. His mind just kept telling him that he should talk everything out with Hinata, that the man would be able to help him organize his thoughts and emotions since he was definitely better at those things than Kageyama was. 

But that was easier said than done. 

Kageyama aggressively turned the knob of the sink and stuck his hands under the rushing water. He cupped his hands and splashed his face, letting the coolness sooth his thoughts and reawaken his skin. Finally looking up at the mirror, he let his gaze wander his face before locking onto his own blue eyes. He had always hated the color. Too abnormal. It had made him different from the instant he was born. Had made him feel like the monster people often described him as.

_ But _ , he thought as he watched the water droplets trail down his skin and drip off of his jaw,  _ sometimes, just sometimes, being with Hinata made it feel okay to be different. _

Pushing off of the counter, he let out another sigh and rubbed his face off with the bottom of his black shirt. He just needed to be able to get through today, get through this performance, and then he’d be able to think some more about whatever the fuck was going on with him.

* * *

Oikawa watched as the animation on the large screens before them indicated that the other band had won the coin toss and would be playing first. He took in a slow breath, and the band next to him began playing. The ground beneath his feet shook as the music vibrated out of the speakers and amplifiers. He recognized the band from previous years, but he wasn’t acquainted with any of the members. 

As they played, he let his mind wander to last night. They had had a short practice, really it was just them gathering to discuss which songs they would play for today. Oikawa had suggested both songs, but had immediately been met with resistance.

_ “I don’t know, maybe we should give you a break.” _

_ “Yeah, I think Iwaizumi has a point there, you’ve been pushing yourself a lot lately and we don’t want you to injure yourself again,” Matsukawa had said, agreeing with Iwaizumi’s rejection of the songs. _

_ He had insisted, telling them that he wanted to perform those songs, that he needed to redeem himself from their previous performance. He could do it. _

_ “Fine,” Hanamaki had finally submitted, “we’ll perform those songs, but if your vocal cords end up kicking the bucket halfway through, I’m not gonna be the one to take your place. God forbid I gotta sing lead.” _

“‘Kawa,” he heard Hanamaki say from behind him, taking Oikawa away from the memory. “They’re about to finish.” Oikawa looked over his shoulder, seeing the strawberry-brunette sling the bass over his head, and sent him a small smile and nodded. Oikawa turned back around and adjusted the microphone before him one last time just as the band beside them let their final note fade out. He heard Matsukawa hit his drums sticks together three times, signaling Iwaizumi and Hanamaki to join him in perfect synchronization.

** Bubblegum Bitch - MARINA ( **Bold** \- Oikawa,  Underline \- Hanamaki)** [A/N: Thank you to anime-catt for the song!!]

**Got a figure like a pin-up, got a figure like a doll**

**Don't care if you think I'm dumb, I don't care at all**

**Candy bear, sweetie pie, wanna be adored**

**I'm the one you'd die for**

Hanamaki sang background vocals for the intro of the song before Oikawa began, making his voice ring out strong and clear. He made sure to stare out into the crowd, picking out random faces to linger on for a second before moving on to the next.

**I'll chew you up and I'll spit you out**

**'Cause that's what young love is all about**

**So pull me closer and kiss me hard**

**I'm gonna pop your bubblegum heart**

He took his microphone in two hands, making sure to give the audience his picture of sharp confidence as he laid on a mischievous smirk and hungry eyes. Oikawa knew he needed to perform this song like the heartbreaker the media liked to portray him as.

**I'm Miss Sugar Pink, liquor, liquor lips**

**Hit me with your sweet love, steal me with a kiss**

**I'm Miss Sugar Pink, liquor, liquor lips**

**I'm gonna be your bubblegum bitch**

**I'm gonna be your bubblegum bitch**

Oikawa put on a show with the first chorus, making sassy facial expressions and emphasizing each word that passed his lips to give them the performance the announcers had wanted to see yesterday. He ripped his microphone off of the stand as a short instrumental came and walked up to the front of the stage.

**Queentex, latex, I'm your wonder maid**

**Life gave me some lemons so I made some lemonade**

**Soda pop, soda pop, baby, here I come**

**Straight to number one**

He stood in the front, as close to the center of the stage he could get without crossing over to the other band’s territory and stared right at the judging table as he sang. With a confident smile, he lifted his pointer finger to make a number one, before veering to the left end of the stage, changing his demeanor completely as if he were playing the role of Juliet.

**Oh, dear diary, I met a boy**

**He made my doll heart light up with joy**

**Oh, dear diary, we fell apart**

**Welcome to the life of** **Electra Heart**

He continued slowly walking along the edge of the stage, placing the back of his free hand to his forehead as if he would faint, then placed it above his heart. But then he threw it to the side, letting the fire return to his voice as he motioned to the crowd, beckoning them to join him for the chorus.

**I'm Miss Sugar Pink, liquor, liquor lips**

**Hit me with your sweet love, steal me with a kiss**

**I'm Miss Sugar Pink, liquor, liquor lips**

**I'm gonna be your bubblegum bitch**

**I'm gonna be your bubblegum bitch**

He let himself get forgotten in the music, letting his mind go blank as he performed for the audience and he basked in his fans singing along with him.

**I think I want your, your American tan**

**Oh, oh, oh**

**I think you're gonna be my biggest fan**

**Oh, oh, oh**

He reached out to the crowd, moving his body and arms to the music. He played off every lyric as if each word had its own purpose, every sound from his mouth having importance. They led into a guitar solo for Iwaizumi, and Oikawa let himself stay lost in the music like he had in karaoke, moving his hips to the beat and keeping his eyes roaming across the crowd.

**I'm Miss Sugar Pink, liquor, liquor lips**

**Hit me with your sweet love, steal me with a kiss**

**I'm Miss Sugar Pink, liquor, liquor lips**

**I'm gonna be your bubblegum bitch**

**I'm gonna be your bubblegum bitch**

He finished off the song with intensity, keeping up with the performance and making sure his voice was strong and singing loud over the instruments.

**I'm Miss Sugar Pink, liquor, liquor lips**

**Hit me with your sweet love, steal me with a kiss**

**I'm Miss Sugar Pink, liquor, liquor lips**

**I'm gonna be your bubblegum bitch**

**I'm gonna be your bubblegum bitch**

Once they finished, the crowd was cheering wildly, and the other band started almost immediately to try and keep the high energy of the crowd and use it to their advantage. But, Oikawa figured, it wouldn’t work. He had been told before that he had a way with the crowd, making sure that everyone only cared to look at him.

Well, it appeared that trait only worked with people who didn’t actually know him.

He walked back to his stand to replace his microphone, taking the time to catch his breath before he’d have to sing again. He listened to the other band as they played this time, intently listening to every chord played, every beat hit, and every note sung. Oikawa allowed his mind to be carried by the vibrations, keenly picking out each mechanic of the sound.

Oikawa had always loved music. The seedling of passion had grown up with him, alongside Iwaizumi. The two of them had become friends easily back then, having been neighbors. They would hang out nearly every day after school, exploring the forest behind their houses so that Iwaizumi could collect different colored beetles and chase Oikawa with them as the latter would attempt to climb trees to hum along with the birds. Each of their parents had gotten them into music by putting them in piano lessons, but soon after that, they diverged into their respective instruments of interest: Iwaizumi with guitar and Oikawa with his voice. They would practice for hours as children, playing around together to make up their own sounds, staying up late to listen to music and pick out every element in the songs.

Music had come so easy for them, cultivating between them as easily as their friendship had. They continued to do everything together, and in their last year in middle school, they decided to start a band together, too. Students two years younger than them had decided to join them: Kindaichi, Kunimi, and Kageyama. If Oikawa had known what would come of that band, he would have never suggested the idea of starting one. They had been young, unable to control emotions and trying to make names for themselves. Oikawa would push himself past the breaking point in attempts to be better than Kageyama, the boy who was perfect at anything and everything without even trying. Iwaizumi was there to hold him back, to remind him that Kageyama and himself were only human, and humans were inherently imperfect.

Oikawa felt himself to be the most imperfect human alive.

Not long after that, he and Iwaizumi had met Hanamaki and Matsukawa. The four of them had clicked almost instantly, and with careful deliberation, had decided to start a new band with them. Iwaizumi was there to reassure him that another band could be a good idea and that we had to take chances if we wanted to continue to grow. They became inseparable.

In high school, Oikawa came out to his parents. His mother had cried and his father had remained silent. But Iwaizumi had been there for him, reminding him that nothing mattered except for his own happiness, that everything he felt was valid and normal.

Iwaizumi had always been there for him. He was there when Oikawa had received his first karaoke set, when he’d won the middle school science fair, when he had strained his vocal cords in high school, when he’d gotten his first C in organic chemistry. 

Oikawa couldn’t remember a time when Iwaizumi wasn’t there.

But now, he struggled to remember the last he actually  _ talked _ to the man.

What had happened between them, what had wedged a black hole between them, he didn’t know.

Before he knew it, the other band sang their last lyric. Oikawa shook out his arms and left his thoughts behind as he focused all of his energy on this performance.

** End Of It - Friday Pilots Club ( **Bold** \- Oikawa,  Underline \- Hanamaki) **

Oikawa immediately took off his microphone and placed a confident look on his face as he stalked toward the edge of the stage while Hanamaki picked on his bass.

**It's cruel you know**

**The way they've been treating you lately**

**Get you real messed up on the daily**

**They tell you things you want to hear they say, well**

He looked out to the crowd, walking along the edge of the stage as he sang and Iwaizumi and Matsukawa joined in.

**Honey, lover,** **what would I do without you**

**But at the end of the day it's a game**

**So many mouths and they're moving the same** **way**

Oikawa let his head fall back as he sang, playing the lyrics off as if he were disappointed in the group of girls before him, reaching out to him.

**But you know where it goes**

**She's been moving so fast, I've been taking it slow and**

**Change is the funniest thing but see**

**I'm not at the end of it, I'm not at the end of it**

Hanamaki joined him in the background, his voice quieter, but high and clear to give the rough edge of Oikawa’s voice more layers. They followed up with a short instrumental, Hanamaki and Iwaizumi playing the same chords and Matsukawa bringing in the beat before Oikawa moved into the second half of the song.

**It's what you give that's got me locked up feeling hazy**

**I cut all the lines but it's crazy**

**So I say what I, what I always say like**

**Is it what you want? Is it what you need?**

**Is there something else you needed from me?**

**Try to take a collar to a dog with no owner**

**Tell him sit, lay down, rollover it's strange**

Oikawa let his voice roll over the crowd, pulling them in so that their eyes were only on him. If they wanted a performance, a performance was what they’d get. As Hanamaki sang the last two lines with him, he made sure to emphasize every word and keep the energy before going back into a lull for the next part.

**It’s strange, I'm caught up, I'm lost in the** **game**

**I move while they beg me to** **stay**

**I've been feeling** **broke up** **since I** **woke up** **but it's a new** **day**

**And I said what I needed,** **needed to say**

He kept his movements fluid in hopes of creating an image that was hypnotizing to the audience and matched the sultry feel of the song. 

**And you know where it goes**

**She's been moving so fast I've been taking it slow and**

**Change is the funniest thing but see**

**I'm not at the end of it, I'm not at the end of it**

Oikawa shook his head as he sang before leading into a slower instrumental. Iwaizumi picked on his guitar while Matsukawa gave a slow beat and the crowd began clapping along with Hanamaki. 

**Tides turn as bridges burn there's a road being cut through the thick**

**You hate me you love me your friends want to cut me**

**But it's all the same, ain't it?**

Oikawa’s voice went higher as he sang the bridge, closing his eyes against the music and keeping this part of the song light and airy for contrast.

**It's the same way and you know where it goes**

**She's been moving so fast I've been taking it slow and**

**Change is the funniest thing but see**

**I'm not at the end of it, I'm not at the end of it**

He pushed himself to sing louder, to give more energy and power into his voice to get that feeling he wanted to portray in the audience. He needed that emotion to connect with them, to keep their eyes on him longer.

He felt his voice on the edge of cracking, like a bubble building up in his throat.

**It's the same way but you know where it goes**

**She's been** **moving so fast** **I've been taking it slow** **and**

**Change is the funniest thing but see**

**I'm not at the end of it, I'm not at the end of it**

**No, no**

**I'm not at the end of it**

**No, no**

**I'm not at the end of it**

Their song ended abruptly on the last lyric and once he stopped singing, he noticed his chest was heaving. He swallowed and felt a sharp pain in the left side of his throat. The cheers of the crowd were near deafening, but all he could hear was ringing in his ears. 

_ Everything’s fine. You’ll be fine. _

He had made it through the song and he’d be able to rest his vocal cords tomorrow before finals started. Everything was going to be fine.

He could faintly hear his band members talking behind him. He bent down to retrieve his water bottle before going back to stand next to them as the scores were deliberated. He took a sip from his water bottle, making sure to school his features and not wince at the resistance as he forced the water down. He was exhausted, he realized. He could barely keep his eyes open at this point, lest keep a conversation with his band right now. So he chose to stare ahead of him, watching as each judge slowly sat back in their chairs, lined along the narrow rectangular table. The announcers then spoke and numbers flew onto the screens.

The scores showed to be in their favor. He wasn’t all that surprised, but he was pleased to see that his performance had been satisfactory. Pushing himself had paid off.

He moved to go gather the rest of his things when someone placed their hand on his shoulder. He turned his head to see Iwaizumi, the man with a hard look in his eyes. Oikawa turned to face the man fully so that Iwaizumi’s hand would slip off of his shoulder, trying not to visibly shiver from the warm touch.

“Hey, are you alright?” Iwaizumi started off, his voice low and gravelly, but Oikawa could tell he was trying to speak gently. “I can tell you haven’t been sleeping lately. What’s been going on?”

Oikawa chose to let out a sigh in favor of scoffing at the question. He turned away to pick up his things before he spoke. “Don’t act like you actually care, Iwa-chan. It’s fine. I’ll be fine,” he said, his voice light but with no emotion behind it.

_ Everything’s fine. You will be fine. _

“What the hell is that supposed to mean? What do you mean I don’t actually care?” Oikawa could hear the anger begin to slip into Iwaizumi’s voice.

He really was too tired for this.

“Exactly what I said Iwa-chan,” he gave, looking back at Iwaizumi. “Now, I gotta go and make the setlists for the rest of the finals and finish up some school work. I’ll see you on Friday.” Oikawa turned away, about to leave when Iwaizumi spoke again.

“No, Oikawa,” he said, and Oikawa could tell he was getting frustrated. “I’m not just gonna let you leave like that. Talk to me.”

Oikawa hated the way Iwaizumi’s voice sounded. The way he could hear the strain, could hear the concern. Did he deserve to tell Iwaizumi that everything in his life seemed to be falling apart? Did he deserve to let Iwaizumi comfort him once again?

But he couldn’t. If he let Iwaizumi know of all the things that plagued his mind, if he let himself be vulnerable to Iwaizumi, he would have to feel everything all over again.

“Didn’t you say you’re meeting that girl today?” Oikawa asked without looking at him. He hated the way his voice sounded, mechanic and grating on his own ears. “Wouldn’t want you to be late for your date.”

“What the fuck? Oikawa, seriously–”

“Makki-chan,” Oikawa cut him off, diverting his attention to his other band member and trying his best to get his voice to go back to normal, “I’ll see you tomorrow to work on that assignment for stats. Bye guys, have a good night.” He walked off of the stage, not sparing either of them another glance even as he felt Iwaizumi searing holes into the back of his head.

Oikawa didn’t bother changing, just grabbed his things from their dressing room before heading toward the exit of the venue. He passed a group of girls on his way out, and so he sent them a charming smile and a wink, throwing them into a fit of giggles and excited whispers. Once he passed them, his smile immediately dropped off of his face.

* * *

Walking up to the edge of the stage, Hinata took in a deep breath. He was still hidden from the audience by the wall that separated the backstage, but the energy from the crowd was thick, nearly tangible in the air as it buzzed around them in waves. His nerve-endings lit up with anticipation. He was excited, really, he was, but something inside his heart kept him from being as happy as he should have felt in that moment. 

And that something was a mere few feet away from him, picking at his cuticles as they waited for their turn to go on stage.

Hinata thought that maybe there was no way of salvaging his relationship with Kageyama. He had tried, more than once, to talk to Kageyama to fix whatever had made the man grow distant, but every single time he had been rejected one way or another, ignored or outright turned down. He had tried. So, at this point, it wasn’t up to him anymore whether he and Kageyama would be able to go back to the way things were. Sooner or later he would just have to accept that this was going to be the new normal. His relationship with Kageyama would just have to be strictly professional, no more hanging out outside of practice, struggling through studying together, sending each other newly discovered music that made them transcend time and space, or trying new drinks and pastries from The Little Crow. 

He let out a long exhale as he closed his eyes. Holding out his palm at his side, he let the pointer finger of his other hand lightly run up and down each finger of his open palm. In and out. Hinata slowly went through his breathing exercise, letting his thoughts fall into place.

They hadn’t been friends for very long, Hinata knew that. But he didn’t think he could go back to how life was without Kageyama, if he was being honest. He knew that he was capable of living without someone he had once cared deeply about, he had been through this before. But even with how little he had known the man, deep down, Hinata knew this time would be different. He had once thought he had been completely in love with someone, but as he remembered it now, he had come to realize that what he had felt maybe hadn’t been love. Admiration and affection, definitely, but if it had been  _ love _ , he wasn’t so sure anymore. 

Kageyama had completely changed the way he had thought about so many things. Now, he was being faced with change all over again. But, he wasn’t sure if he’d be capable of letting go this time. He wasn’t sure if he had what it took to let go of Kageyama if the time came for it.

He slowly peeled open his eyes and looked to his side. Kageyama stood there, his hands shoved into the pockets of his slacks as he stared out at the bands playing on stage. To someone else, he may have looked bored, maybe even judgemental as he watched on with a slack expression, but Hinata could make out that small fire of passion behind his ice blue eyes. Kageyama was just as competitive and passionate as him, and Hinata had never met someone ever able to keep up with him. 

His fate rested in the palms of those perfectly manicured hands. The thought should have terrified him. It really should have.

“Alright kids,” Daichi started, walking up to stand between him and Kageyama. “Let’s make the most of this,” he said whilst staring out at the stage as the other bands made their way off of it. Daichi slapped a hand onto Kageyama’s shoulder maybe a little harder than was necessary before moving out onto the now empty stage. Hinata watched as Kageyama’s eyes hardened in determination, moving to follow Daichi out. 

Hinata had to remind himself not to stare for too long, but he hadn’t seen that look on Kageyama in days.

He stood there for a few moments, Suga and Tsukishima walking past him to go out onto the stage. Cheers bounced off of the walls of the entire venue, but he could barely hear them as his eyes followed Kageyama, the man walking up to the front to set up his microphone stand off center to leave room for Hinata’s set up. Kageyama adjusted the height of his stand and messed with the angle of his microphone as Hinata finally stepped out onto the stage. He really tried not to, but his eyes stayed trained on Kageyama as he brought the extra microphone stand up next to his. 

As he was turning away to grab the keyboard, Kageyama’s gaze lifted to meet him. Hinata paused as they stared at each other for a silent moment, Hinata taking in the blue eyes that hadn’t stared at him for this long since the night at the club and the way the multicolored lights above head illuminated his skin. In the far recesses of his mind, a similar image flitted behind his eyes along with the memory of bass chattering his teeth.

The moment was fleeting and the spell was broken as Kageyama turned back to organize the wires at his feet. Hinata shook his head, erasing the memories as he went to retrieve the keyboard. 

He still trusted Kageyama. Even if the man decided that he didn’t want to be friends with him anymore, Hinata hoped that even after this competition he'd be able to stay in the band. He knew he’d be able to make music if he ended up having to leave, but he also knew that he’d never experience something like this ever again. Making music with Kageyama was just  _ different _ . He couldn’t explain it, but he felt as though he and Kageyama had something special. Kageyama had to have felt it, too, right?

As he and everyone else finished setting up their equipment, the announcers began introducing the bands. They were going up against yet another band Hinata wasn’t familiar with, but one of the members, he noticed, had a blonde-dyed undercut hairstyle that looked far too familiar. He quickly looked away, deciding to focus his attention on the large screens as the coin toss ensued. The screen lit up, indicating that Take Flight! had won the toss. 

Hinata rolled his shoulders back and let out an exhale. He stole a quick glance at Kageyama, the man adjusting his microphone in front of his mouth one last time. He turned back to the crowd, placing his hands onto the keyboard with practiced precision, his body immediately remembering the exact placing and the emotions he was meant to pour into the song. It was now or never. 

** Sweet Talk - Saint Motel ( **Bold** \- Kageyama,  _ Italics _ \- Hinata) **

Hinata began playing, hitting upbeat notes on the black and white keys as Daichi produced a beat. Soon after, Daichi and Suga began singing backup vocals and a pre-recorded track of Kageyama playing a trumpet filled the background.

_ Oh when it's cold _

_ I get warm just thinking of you _

_ When I'm alone _

_ I stare at stars and hope dreams come true _

Hinata’s voice washed over the venue, coming out clear as Suga hit chords on his guitar.

**You're probably not aware**

**That I'm even here**

**Well you might not know I exist**

**But I don't even care**

Kageyama started singing, causing Hinata’s eyes to widen. He was caught off guard by the energy in the man’s voice, and the power behind it as the music picked up into the chorus.

**_Sweet talk_ **

**_Everything you say_ **

**_It sounds like_ **

**_Sweet talk to my ears_ **

**_You could yell_ **

**_"Piss off! Won't you stay away?"_ **

**_It'll still be_ **

**_Sweet talk to my ears_ **

Hinata sang the chorus with Kageyama, letting his voice carry as loud as he could. He looked briefly over at Kageyama beside him, the man taking that moment to look back at him as they began to sing to each other. Their eyes locked and Hinata’s heart beat pounded in his ears as he gave the performance everything he had.

**Oh when you laugh**

**I forget that it's about me**

**But it's alright**

**Yeah, 'cause being your punchline**

**Still is something**

Kageyama gripped his mic with both hands as he looked back out to the crowd, swaying to the beat of the music. His presence was back, giving off almost the opposite energy compared to the performance they had yesterday. Hinata couldn’t help the excitement rising up in the back of his throat as he waited for his cue to sing again.

**Yeah well I'm not scared**

**I'm not going nowhere**

**Yeah, you might want me to drop dead**

**But I don't even care**

The other man’s deep voice floated over the venue, sending unbidden shivers up Hinata’s spine as the music picked up to lead into the chorus once again.

**_Sweet talk_ **

**_Everything you say_ **

**_It sounds like_ **

**_Sweet talk to my ears_ **

**_You could yell_ **

**_"Piss off! Won't you stay away?"_ **

**_It'll still be_ **

**_Sweet talk to my ears_ **

They sang together again, Hinata did as much dancing as he could and let his fingers fly across the keys without much thought. He could hear the energy behind Daichi’s every hit, feel the effortless vibe that Tsukishima always had as he picked at his strings, and practically see the air around them vibrate as Suga strummed out chords. They were performing near perfect right now, and an instrumental began as they let their energy pour into the music.

_ Ooh, everything you say _

_ It sounds like _

_ Ooh, to my ears _

_ Ooh, "Won't you stay away?" _

_ It sounds like _

_ Ooh, to my ears _

The music then slowed down, and Hinata sang quietly as he pressed out the keys, letting his eyes fall closed. The rest of the band began clapping out the beat with Daichi hitting his sticks together to lead them. As Suga started another instrumental, the crowd took up the clapping, and Hinata’s right hand slid down the keys as the song bursted with energy once more. Hinata watched as the crowd began jumping, creating a frantic sea as Hinata and Kageyama finished off the song. They sang into their microphones with passion that continued to build up higher and higher as one tried to sing louder than the other.

_ Sweet talk _

_ Everything you say _

**_It sounds like_ **

_ Sweet talk to my ears _

**_You could yell_ **

**_"Piss off! Won't you stay away?"_ **

**_It'll still be_ **

**_Sweet talk to my ears_ **

The song faded out with Daichi hitting out a beat and Suga strumming out the last few chords. Once it faded away, Hinata could barely hear the screams of the audience over his panting. He looked over to Kageyama and saw that the man looked just as breathless as him.

They were back.

He couldn’t help the grin that split his face from ear to ear. As he beamed up at Kageyama, the other man quickly looked away and moved, but Hinata was too ecstatic to really care. They had performed just like he knew they were truly capable of, and it had been electrifying. He was sure the crowd had felt the difference, too, their energy continuing on its plateau as the other band began to play their first song. 

Hinata watched as Kageyama walked back toward Daichi at the drumset. He could see their mouths moving as Kageyama bent down to reach for a water bottle, but the music from the other band drowned out their words. Then, just as Kageyama began to drink from the bottle, Daichi smacked the man’s back as their conversation came to close, causing Kageyama to nearly spill the water all over himself. The man turned onto Daichi with a furious expression as the older band member just laughed, and Hinata couldn’t help but smile at the display. It was weird to admit, but he missed Kageyama’s playful outbursts. 

He felt they were finally on the right path. 

He was especially excited to perform their next song as the other band’s song was coming to an end. It was going to be slower and more emotional than the one before, but he hoped that with Kageyama’s reignited passion, they’d be able to perform it like they had planned and play off of each other’s emotions to sweep the crowd up in the wave.

Kageyama picked up a second guitar that looked like an acoustic one. He plugged into the amp near him before settling back behind his mic stand as the other band finished their song. Hinata and Tsukishima had written a rhythm guitar into their next song, but they had wanted it to be more in the background so they chose an acoustic electric. They really wanted to create layers of sound, but still keep the vocals as a focal point.

** A Sadness Runs Through Him - The Hoosiers ( **Bold** \- Kageyama,  _ Italics _ \- Hinata) ** [A/N: Again, huge thank you to anime-catt for the song suggestion!! This is an absolutely beautiful song tysm]

The song started off with Suga and Kageyama strumming their guitars, Suga’s true electric guitar having more of a presence, but their strum patterns bounced off of each other to create its own beat.

**People are puppets held together with string**

**There's a beautiful sadness that runs through him**

**As he asked me to pray to the God he doesn't believe in**

Kageyama began singing, his voice a lot softer than in the last song, and Hinata pressed out a few quiet notes over the guitars.

**Time and again boys are raised to be men**

**Impatient they start, fearful at the end**

**But here was a man mourning tomorrow**

**He drank, but finally drowned in his sorrow oh**

As Kageyama continued to sing, Tsukishima joined in with the bass. The tall blonde performed as he normally did, keeping his eyes trained down toward his fingers as they pressed into the frets.

_ He could not break surface tension _

_ He looked in the wrong place for redemption _

**_Don't look at me with those eyes_ **

**_I tried to unheave the ties_ **

**_Turn back the time that drew him_ **

Hinata chimed in, keeping his voice high and clear over the instruments. As Kageyama harmonized with him, Hinata pressed into the keys faster and harder.

**But he couldn't be saved**

**A sadness runs** **_through him_ **

**_Through him_ **

A pre-recording of violin, yet again courtesy of Kageyama’s playing, added to the song as they moved into the second half and Daichi finally joined in with percussion. 

**Time and again boys are raised to be men**

**Impatient they start, fearful at the end**

**But here was a man mourning tomorrow**

**Who drank, but finally drowned in his sorrow oh**

As Kageyama began to sing again, all elements of the song were finally present. Each of the instruments meshed together in harmony to create layers that made Hinata’s head spin, but in a good way.

_ He could not break surface tension  _

_ He looked in the wrong place for redemption _

**_Don't look at me with_ ** _ those _ **_eyes_ **

**_I tried to unheave the ties_ **

**_Turn back the time that drew him_ **

Hinata sang once more as Suga began harmonizing in the background. Then, Kageyama joined him, his voice soft and just barely there as Hinata’s voice carried over the venue.

**But he couldn't be saved**

**A sadness runs** **_through him_ **

**_Through him_ **

_ Don't look _

_ Don't look _

_ Don't don't _

Kageyama’s voice came out clearer now, letting the passion back his vocals. Kageyama began belting into his microphone, his hands clutching onto the stand as he did the longest run Hinata has seen him perform yet.

_ Don't  _ **_look at me with those eyes_ **

_ I  _ **_tried to unheave the ties_ **

**_Turn back the time that drew him_ **

They began to sing together again, letting their emotions pour through the speakers and over the crowd. Kageyama let the music take over his body, moving with the lyrics as he sang and putting even more into the performance. Hinata matched him easily, pushing more air into his lungs to make himself louder and more prominent.

**But he couldn't be saved**

**No he couldn't be saved**

**A sadness runs** _(through him)_ **through him**

**_A sadness runs through him_ **

**_A sadness runs through him_ **

**_A sadness runs through him_ **

**A sadness runs through him**

The song slowly came to an end as they let their voices mesh and fade out with Suga and Kageyama finishing it off. The crowd was bursting with energy as uproarious cheers filled the venue. Hinata slowly looked across the entire span of the large room, letting himself finally let it all sink in as the other band began their final song.

It didn’t take long for the band to finish. Hinata would be lying if he said he heard even a second of their song. Could you really blame him? This was the moment he had wished for nearly his entire life.

The announcers began talking as the judges deliberated scores and the audience members casted their votes. As they did this, Suga came up from behind him to stand at his side. The silver-haired man had a bright, proud smile on his face as he looked over at Hinata. 

“You and Kageyama did very well tonight,” he said gently. “I know it’s not always easy working with friends or classmates, but I’m really glad you decided to give us a chance.” Suga placed a hand on Hinata’s head and ruffled his hair softly. His expression soon turned slightly frustrated as a crease appeared between his brows, but the smile was still there. “Ahh,” the man groaned, rubbing into Hinata’s head with slightly more force, “you kids and your talented asses.”

Hinata winced slightly at the action, but a laugh left his lips.

“Suga,” a deep voice from behind them called out. “Don’t harass him,” Daichi said as he stood beside Tsukishima with his hand clasped on the bassist’s shoulder. Tsukishima looked bored, and from what he could tell, Hinata figured that Tsukishima had tried to leave before the results had even been announced.

He could practically hear the blonde reason that he would find out about the results sooner or later. 

“You’re one to talk,” Suga bit back as he let go of Hinata’s head to cross his arms over his chest. “Poor Tsukishima over there just wants to go on his date,” he teased, a sly smirk playing on his lips.

Surprise appeared on Daichi and Tsukishima’s faces simultaneously, but then red tinged Tsukishima’s cheeks that definitely was not from the stage lights. 

“W-what?” Tsukishima squeaked out before clearing his throat. “What are you talking about,” he tried again, his voice back to its usual indifference, but the blush was giving him away.

Hinata chuckled into his hand, earning him an immediate glare from the blonde.

“Oh, don’t play dumb with me,” Suga insisted, his smile turning mischievous, “Yamaguchi already ratted about everything to me.”

Tsukishima’s expression turned dark as he looked down. “I’ll kill him,” he muttered under his breath so quietly that Hinata almost missed it.

“Yeah right, I’ll beat your ass before you even get the chance to lay a finger on that precious boy,” Suga threatened. Tsukishima shot a glare at their silver-haired superior, but Hinata watched as he quickly backed down to look off to the side. Hearty laughter erupted from Suga at his side just as the announcers declared that the results were in. Hinata and Suga quickly turned around to stare at the large screens, waiting eagerly as animations of the scores flew into view.

It all happened in a mere couple of seconds, but to Hinata it had felt like hours before the numbers had all finally added up to show their final scores and one of the bands was shown as the winner with confetti falling around their name.

He couldn’t believe it. Hinata had thought that a reality such as this would only be possible in his wildest of dreams.

They had won, and with a very large percentage of the popular vote in their favor and an overall score from the judges much higher than what they had received yesterday. Suga whooped from next to him, and Hinata couldn’t help himself as he cheered along, double high-fiving the silver-haired man. His eyes quickly looked for Kageyama, but his gaze was met with the sight of the man already walking off of the stage, just like yesterday. Hinata’s smile fell instantly. He had thought that things were going to get better. They had performed well, so things could get better right?

A sharp pain in his chest hit him as he watched Kageyama's back disappear. He should have known that things wouldn’t go back to normal just because they were able to perform up to par.

He let out a small sigh before going to help Suga pack up by grabbing some cords. Hinata figured he shouldn’t dwell too much on it. He had already decided before that it was up to Kageyama to fix whatever was wrong between them, and if that didn’t happen, he’d just have to accept that some things have to come to an end.

Hinata headed out with the rest of the band backstage and through the rest of the venue toward their dressing room. By the time they got back, Kageyama and his things were already gone. He tried not to pay any mind to that or the feeling in his gut.

When they were all pretty much done changing back into regular clothes, a short knock came at the door. A brunette head popped out from behind the door frame once they were granted permission from Suga to come in. 

“Ah! Yamaguchi-kun!” Suga exclaimed before quickly turning his gaze to Tsukishima. The blonde ignored their guitarist as he gathered the rest of his things and began walking toward Yamaguchi. 

“Have fun on your date!” Suga called out once Tsukishima reached the door, causing the bassist to blush and grit out a ‘shut up’.

“Let’s go, Yamaguchi,” he bit out between clenched teeth. The brunette either didn’t notice his distress or didn’t care as he called out his goodbyes to everyone happily before taking Tsukishima’s hand in his own, causing a deep blush to take over the blonde’s entire face. Suga’s hysterical laughter filled the room even after the two quickly disappeared behind the closed door.

Hinata smiled to himself. He was happy for Tsukishima and Yamaguchi. Even he could see how head-over-heels Yamaguchi was for Tsukishima and the soft spot their bassist had for his childhood friend. And he’d been ever grateful for Tsukishima’s advice, but when he’d try’d to thank him for it, the bassist had just sneered and walked away before he could actually say anything. Even then, it was nice to see the things work out for his friends.

He reached for his phone, quickly typing out a text to his mother and sister to inform them that his band had made it into the quarterfinals. He then sent a text to Kenma, telling the man that he’d better stay in this competition until he was able to go up against them. Hinata stuffed his phone into his jeans pocket before pulling on his jacket. He could probably stop by The Little Crow tonight to see Ukai and Takeda to tell them the good news. But then his mind immediately wandered to thoughts of Kageyama, and how he would have liked to celebrate this moment with him by drinking some cocoa and stuffing their faces with blueberry scones and orange chiffon slices as they gushed about their amazing performance today.

He sighed. Maybe some other time they would be at a point where they could do things like that again, but he wasn’t sure that would be any time soon.

Information on who they would be playing against for the quarterfinals and then the brackets for the rest of the competition would be released later tonight after the last set of bands played. Tomorrow would be a break day for all of them before finals, so Hinata was supposed to take the time catching up on school work and whatnot. He really doubted if he’d actually use his time like that. It seemed much more appealing to just bask in the glory for now. It was still hard to believe that they had made it this far, that he was really playing in a band, and making music that people enjoyed. 

Hinata zipped up his jacket and took a final glance at the mirror in front of him. He looked older, he thought. Maybe it was because of everything that had been happening recently, or maybe it was the fact that he was finally living out his dream.


	17. Confessions

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> happy vday! hope y'all like the chappy

Hinata sighed, dropping his pencil onto his open notebook. He leaned back in his chair, digging the heels of his palms into his eyes. After a beat of holding them there, he let his hands drop to his sides and slowly peeled open his eyes. Stars danced behind his vision, dotting the white ceiling of his dorm room with an imaginary galaxy.

Once his vision returned to normal, he sat back up in his chair and shut his notebook. Hinata stood from his desk and began putting his backpack together. He grabbed his overused journal, its worn pages full of lyrics, thoughts, and melodies, and stuffed it into the bag before moving on to the rest of his things. 

His day had been pretty pleasant, considering. He had somehow found the motivation to work on his assignments that had seemed to pile up with the start of the Tokyo Spring Competition. However, he couldn't guarantee that they were done correctly. At least when he had done his homework with Kageyama, they had a higher chance of getting something right by talking it out with one another.

Hinata squeezed his eyes shut and shook his head, willing the thoughts of Kageyama away. Much like the past few days, the lead singer had continually popped up in his mind today. It was unrelenting and, honestly, making Hinata feel like he was going crazy.

Last night, he had gone to The Little Crow after they finished up at the venue. He had been congratulated with cheers and applause from the idling customers once Ukai had announced the news to the entire café. It had been a good time, Hinata finally being able to take a step back and see how far he had come, starting with just a hand-me-down keyboard and a dream of being something great, doing gigs every Friday in a small corner of Tokyo to being in the center of a large competition surrounded by talent that only stoked his fire. 

But it had all come crashing down on him when Takeda had come by his booth, offering a small slice of blueberry cheesecake and a question of where Kageyama was.

He realized that his dream had changed.

Somehow, in the span of a couple of months, Kageyama’s presence had utterly changed the dynamic of Hinata’s future, unbeknownst to the both of them. With a twinge in his heart, Hinata finally admitted to himself that his dream now revolved around Kageyama, playing with Kageyama and the band, creating music with Kageyama, sticking with Kageyama. He still strived to become the best musician in the world, making music for every human being to enjoy, but now his vision included a certain black-haired and blue-eyed singer at his side.

But not for the first time in his life, Hinata thought that maybe achieving his full dream wouldn't be a possibility anymore. When he had been humiliated at his audition all those years ago, Hinata had questioned everything he had done in his life up until that point. He questioned why he had even thought becoming a musician was even possible. He had told himself that he should have dedicated his time to more practical things and used his time to get good at studying and finding a normal career path. And now, he was questioning when he had become so reliant upon another person, when his dream had started to involve not just himself, but also Kageyama.

Hinata grabbed his backpack, now full of miscellaneous sheets of music and some snacks, and slung it over his shoulder before heading out of his dorm. Once he reached outside, his face was hit with cool afternoon air. Spring was now in full bloom and brought promises of warm summer nights. The sky was a mosaic of blushing pinks and furious reds, bleeding into bruising purples. Even though the city didn’t have any way to see the starry night sky, Hinata appreciated how the buildings backdropped against bright sunsets. His gaze moved over to the large building in front of him. He could see that the light was on in that particular corner room on the third floor.

Hinata wondered what Kageyama was up to right now.

Even earlier today, while Hinata was watching Death Parade, he found himself reaching for his phone at certain parts. He would always stop himself mid-reach as he remembered that he actually shouldn’t text Kageyama his thoughts, even though he really wanted to.

He hated it. He hated that he couldn’t freely text Kageyama anymore without getting outright ignored. Was this punishment for something done in a past life? Or had he really done something terrible to Kageyama that he just couldn’t remember?

A frustrated noise gurgled in the back of his throat as he began walking. How had he allowed himself to become so attached? Especially when he was sure Kageyama had hated him the moment they met. How had Hinata allowed himself to get this far? And now, his troubles with Kageyama were all too familiar. Scars that had had years to heal over were being ripped open by the man’s absence.

Hinata picked up his pace, wanting to get to their practice room faster. The band hadn’t agreed to meet today, wanting to rest up before the competition's finals. Still, Hinata’s fingers itched to dance across the smooth keys of black and white. He needed to let out everything that he was feeling, using his music as an outlet for his emotions. He needed to play through the memories, play through the hurt.

He’d been through this before, and he could get through it again. Or, at least, that was what he had been telling himself.

Without even realizing it, Hinata was sprinting down the sidewalk. The small venue building came into view, but he didn’t slow down until his hands pushed through the front door. His breaths came out in huffs as he walked in, letting the warm air inside the building stick to his skin.

Hinata let his feet carry him to a room that Suga had shown him before. It was an old practice room that they now used for storage, and it was where they kept the baby grand piano. The room wasn’t too small but was still cozy, a lone window up high near the ceiling that streamed in golden sunlight that illuminated the piano's sleek black body. He walked over to it, shrugging off his backpack and placing it on the floor before carefully lowering himself onto the bench. He let the tips of his fingers rest on the cool keys. Taking in a slow breath, Hinata’s eyes fell shut before he leaned forward, allowing the weight of his body to press out a deep, haunting chord.

* * *

The soft tinkling of piano keys filled the air, growing louder as Kageyama made his way inside the building. He slowly came to a stop in the hallway, listening as the muffled chords continued.

No one else was supposed to be here right now. Daichi had explicitly told them not to practice today so that they could all rest, so maybe it was someone else who had access to the building? That was what he told himself as he continued down the hallway, even though he knew in the back of his mind that it was fully possible that someone else in his band would come practice, considering that was what he had come for.

Well, he hadn’t come to the venue specifically to practice for tomorrow. He just couldn’t be alone with his mind, his thoughts clouded by Hinata since last night. So, he figured the best thing for him to do would be to sit in the old practice room, feeling the cold of the concrete walls seep into his skin as he ruminated.

Kageyama froze. He stood in the open doorway of the old practice room now turned into storage. The ringing of chords was clear now, but nothing was louder than the beat of his own heart as he watched the man with hair as orange as the rising sun seated at the piano.

It was as mesmerizing as the first time he had watched Hinata play. He’d barely been able to take his eyes off of Hinata, seeing the man sit behind the piano after he had just barely met him. He had been entranced by the languid movements interspersed with jarring presses of keys, his fingers fluttering with closed eyes and a face serene with delight. Kageyama watched Hinata play with an easy smile as if he were born into existence just for that moment alone. Kageyama had hated it, then, for reasons unbeknownst to him. Maybe he had thought that there was no way for someone to play so easily, to give themselves so fully to music. No one so genuinely in love with music. But he soon came to realize that the prospect was possible, that Hinata himself was an anomaly, something that would surely take the world by storm. And now, as Kageyama watched the bow of Hinata’s spine as he moved himself to the music, Kageyama realized that he really wanted to be there to witness that spectacle.

And then, his breath caught silently in his chest as soft hums resonated from Hinata. Kageyama’s eyes widened, his jaw going slack and lips parting slowly as his ears strained to listen to the soft voice that began singing.

** I Lost a Friend - FINNEAS ( _Italics_ \- Hinata) **

_I lost a friend_

_Like keys in a sofa_

_Like a wallet in the backseat_

_Like ice in the summer heat_

Hinata’s voice came out so soft, just barely audible over the chords that rumbled out from deep within the piano.

_I lost a friend_

_Like sleep on a red-eye_

_Like money on a bad bet_

_Like time worrying about_

_Every bad thing that hasn't happened yet_

Kageyama continued to stare at Hinata’s back, watching the small movements his body made with each soft press of a key. He couldn’t see the man’s face, but he was sure his eyes were shut.

_I know I'll be alright, but I'm not tonight_

_I'll be lying awake counting all the mistakes I've made_

_Replaying fights_

_I know I'll be alright, but I'm not tonight_

_I lost a friend, I lost a friend_

_I lost my mind, and nobody believes me_

_Say, "I know that he don't need me_

_'Cause he made a little too much money to be 20 and sad"_

_And I'll be fine without 'em_

_But all I do is write about 'em_

_How the hell did I lose a friend I never had?_

_Never had_

As Hinata continued to sing, Kageyama finally registered the lyrics, letting the words sink in. It was then he remembered how all that time ago Hinata had told him how he wrote lyrics to a song, how he used them to portray his own stories, his own feelings. It settled over Kageyama and he was hit with a wave of _something_ deep in his chest, listening to Hinata sing with his voice smaller than he’d ever heard it before. Sounding so fragile that a gust of wind could carry it away without a trace.

_I'm on the mend_

_Like I'm wearing a neck brace_

_Like I'm sleeping in my own place_

_Like I'm pulling all the stitches out of my own face_

_I'm on the mend_

_Like I'm icing a new sprain_

_Like I'm walking on a new cane_

_Like it's been a couple days_

_Since I slipped and said something sorta like your name_

As Hinata sang, Kageyama couldn’t help but think how _beautiful_ he looked. The sun filtering in from the window shone down on him like a spotlight. How fitting the image was, Hinata finally being displayed in all of his natural glory, with hair glowing like flames of a fire licked in gold and flecks of dust dancing lazily in the beams like falling stars.

_I know I'll be alright, but I'm not tonight_

_I'll be lying awake counting all the mistakes I've made_

_Replaying fights_

_I know I'll be alright, but I'm not tonight_

_I'm on the mend, but I lost a friend_

Hinata’s voice became unbelievably deep, slipping into something more guttural as it reverberated out of his throat.

_I lost my mind, and nobody believes me_

_Say, "I know that he don't need me_

_'Cause he made a little too much money to be 20 and sad"_

_And I'll be fine without 'em_

_But all I do is write about 'em_

_How the hell did I lose a friend I never had?_

Kageyama shivered as the emotions crashed over him. Hinata’s voice was raw, coming out harsh and loud as he pressed the keys with more vigor. His body was almost completely curled into itself, Hinata’s face so close to the keys as if the chords could absorb him, and Kageyama could practically see Hinata’s eyes screwed shut as he sang with more passion. Even clearer than before, Kageyama could hear the emotion shaking in Hinata’s voice, could _feel_ it as it poured from his voice, poured from his very hands.

_I'd apologize if I thought it might make a difference_

_Or make you listen_

_I'd apologise if it was black and white_

_But life is different_

_Just try to listen to me now_

Slowly, Hinata sat back up, his spine arching the opposite way as he lolled his head back, singing with all of his chest. His voice bounced off of the cold walls of the small room, before it got quieter, moving into what Kageyama figured was the end of the song. His head fell to hang low between his shoulders, his playing slowing and the wobble imminent in his soft voice. Hinata ended the song with a small whisper of two words, his hands stilling on the piano as he pushed out a final note.

_I know I'll be alright, but I'm not tonight_

_I lost a friend, I lost a friend_

_I lost my mind, and nobody believes me_

_Say, "I know that he don't need me_

_'Cause he made a little too much money to be 20 and sad"_

_And I'll be fine without 'em_

_But all I do is write about 'em_

_How the hell did I lose a friend I never had?_

_Never had_

Kageyama became frozen in the silence filling the space all around them. Only then did his mind catch up with the situation, and he realized that he just intruded on a very intimate thing. He should have left, he really _really_ should have. He willed his body to move, to slink away and leave the venue, act like he never saw Hinata, never witnessed something so vulnerable. But how could he? How could he just act as he hadn’t just watched something so beautiful, something he was sure would be etched into his brain until the day he died.

And then he heard it, the little sniff coming from the man seated at the piano in front of him, and his mind lost all reason.

He was crying. Hinata was _crying_.

And before he could stop himself, before he could remind himself that he _shouldn’t be here_ , he stepped into the room.

“Hinata.”

He should have known that that definitely was not the right way to make himself known as he watched Hinata startle so abruptly, resulting in an offending clang of keys that made Kageyama wince. Hinata’s entire body whipped around, nearly causing him to fall off of the small bench, before his eyes settled on Kageyama and his entire body stilled.

Fuck. Kageyama did not think this through. Here they were, Kageyama having avoided Hinata for _days_ and now he was just walking in on Hinata crying. _Ah, right_ , he thought, taking in the wetness on Hinata’s cheeks, _he’s crying_.

He cleared his throat, absolutely _not_ awkward at all. “Um, you alright?” he asked, his voice coming out more unsure than he had wanted. How fucking pathetic could he possibly _be_?

But the silence stretched on for a long time, way longer than he could deal with, and he began fidgeting under Hinata’s unwavering gaze. His chocolate eyes were staring in Kageyama’s direction unfocused, a mix of shock and something he couldn’t decipher on his face. Kageyama could not begin to understand what the fuck was going on.

He made a frustrated noise in the back of his throat, and that somehow woke Hinata from whatever dream he was in. The man jumped in his seat, eyes refocusing onto Kageyama and his face slipping into something more akin to fear. 

“Ah– Yep! Yep, totally fine!” Hinata rushed out, and Kageyama realized all too late that he must be glaring at Hinata. He closed his eyes and let out another sigh, annoyed at himself for his inability to interact with his stupid bandmate. Hinata let out a squeak. Seriously, why was Hinata so scared of him? _It’s not like I’ve ever–well, maybe I_ have _hit him, but still! Hinata shouldn’t be squeaking away at every little sound I make._

Before he could stop it, he felt a hard scowl come onto his face once again.

“Uh– is there something wrong?” Hinata asked warily, his voice a little strained. “I was just– oh no, did you need this room? I can totally leave if you–” 

“Hinata,” he cut him off, Hinata’s eyes going wide with his mouth stuck open on the rest of his sentence. Kageyama pinched the bridge of nose. “Shut up.”

Hinata’s mouth snapped shut so fast Kageyama could hear the distinct _clack_ of his teeth. Kageyama had to remind himself to breathe. He needed to calm down, needed to use this time wisely. Why was he even here? Well, he hadn’t planned on running into Hinata, but it seemed the universe had other plans. Was he ready for it, though? He wasn’t even sure what he was supposed to say to Hinata. That he was angry at him? That he had gotten too many mixed feelings from dancing with him, but still couldn’t come to regret doing it?

The sudden realization that the song possibly could have been about him washed over his senses, leaving him cold. What else could that song have been about? Of course it was about him. They were fine, and then, to Hinata’s knowledge, Kageyama had just stopped talking to him for no reason. Had Hinata been more affected by the whole ordeal than Kageyama had let himself believe?

He was silent for too long. He cleared his throat once more. _Fuck it_ , he thought, _there’s nothing else for me to start off with_. “Um,” Kageyama began slowly, “did you write that?”

The question visibly caught Hinata off guard, Kageyama watching as Hinata blanched and blinked in confusion.

“Uh, yeah, I guess,” he responded, sounding unsure with the sudden question. “A couple years ago.”

He felt his eyes widen. _‘A couple years ago’?_ So, the song hadn’t been about him. For some reason, Kageyama didn’t know how he felt about that piece of information. He should have been relieved, but he couldn’t help wondering what– or _who_ – had happened to Hinata years ago, in a time when Kageyama hadn’t even known of his existence. He couldn’t help wondering what exactly had elicited that type of song.

Silence fell between them once again as Kageyama let the admission sink and his questions run. The air was charged with something that left a sour taste in his mouth. He hated it. He knew that whatever was between them was probably his fault, that there may have been to avoid all of this if he had been able to handle things better. But he still hated it.

Kageyama watched for a beat longer as Hinata fiddled with his fingers, eyes not meeting Kageyama’s gaze. He couldn’t stop his mind from thinking about the fingers and the beautiful sounds it was able to produce. But his thoughts were cut short as Hinata’s timid voice shattered the thick silence.

“Uh, was there a reason you’re here Kageyama?”

Kageyama heaved a sigh. He honestly couldn’t answer that. “I don’t know,” he responded, voice low.

“Oh.”

He inhaled a sharp breath, his frustration spiking at the response before he tried to pipe it down. He reminded himself that his own answer wasn’t satisfactory, so he couldn’t blame Hinata for the lack of a better response. The energy was draining out of him. Kageyama just wanted to get things straight, to work everything out and calm the storm that had taken home in his mind all those nights ago. But he couldn’t just go into the brunt of it, asking Hinata why the man had left on the dance floor, who that stranger was and what he had that Kageyama didn’t, why he was feeling all of these _emotions_ that hurt more than he could describe.

He decided then how he should proceed. He reached for a random folding chair that was leaning on the wall nearest him, setting it up on the hardwood floor before plopping down onto it. Kageyama levelled Hinata with a determined gaze, the latter looking more and more confused by the second.

“Tell me about the song,” Kageyama prompted. He couldn’t lie and say that he wasn’t curious. He wanted to know about the origins of the song, what story Hinata had based it off of. He wanted to know about Hinata in a time when they hadn’t known each other.

“Um, it’s kind of a lot. But,” he trailed off, turning back around on the bench to face the piano, his back once again to Kageyama. His shoulders seemed so tense. Hinata plucked a soft, high key and let it resonate in the air around them. “I’m willing to tell it if you’re willing to listen,” he finished quietly.

Kageyama nodded before he remembered Hinata wasn’t looking at him. He cleared his throat once again before speaking. “Go ahead.”

“So, I wrote that song in high school,” he began slowly. “It’s actually about my first love,” he admittedly timidly, followed by somber chuckle.

Kageyama tried not to audibly choke on the spit that got lodged in his throat, feeling heat rush to his face. He was suddenly very glad that Hinata wasn’t facing him. _Love._ This was the first time he’d be hearing about anything romantic from Hinata. Really, the first time he’d be hearing such a thing from _anyone_ , he wasn’t really the person people chose to confide in. But even so, he listened intently as Hinata continued.

He watched Hinata’s shoulder shift with another breath, his fingers ghosting over the length of the keys before pressing out a soft, light note. His posture relaxed slightly, as if just the feeling of the keys against his fingertips had the power to release whatever pent up energy he held in his muscles.

“We started dating in our first year. I had been entranced by him from the moment I saw him, and everyone else loved him, too. He was talented and passionate, sometimes a little cocky but he never let anything deter him from his goal. Nothing ever got in the way of his success,” Hinata said, his voice going soft at that last part as he pressed out another long note, this one lower. “He has a twin brother. The Miya twins. They were known as talented musicians even in middle school. They’d been playing together pretty much since they could speak, and it showed in the dynamic they had. 

“I wasn’t really that good back then, but they let me play with them. And so that’s how it started, hanging out after school just to play for fun and long nights spent talking about new music. Before we knew it, our lives were intertwined and Atsumu and I started dating,” Hinata continued, and Kageyama watched as the man hunched in on himself just a little more. “I mean, it’s a little embarrassing to think about because I had practically worshipped Atsumu for his music. And having him show interest in me was amazing. He’d helped me with my music and he’d shown me the structures for songs.

“But, then, nearly a year later, he just… left,” Hinata whispered, his fingers lightly pressing into the keys more frequently. “Without a word. I remember I had tried calling, but was never able to reach him. It was just, one day he was there and the next, he was gone.

“It hurt. A lot more than I had ever imagined possible. I didn’t know if I had done something wrong, if I had been the cause for him leaving. I found out later from classmates that his family had moved so that he and Osamu could attend a different school. I’d wondered what I possibly could have done that would have caused him to change _schools_ , to move to an entirely different town in the middle of who-knows where. One day I’d overheard some of my classmates, some girls whispering none-too subtly at their desks in class. They mentioned the Miya twins, and I hadn’t heard that name in so long that I nearly ran up to them and demanded them to tell me what they knew. But I didn’t. I just sat at my desk, unfallen tears stinging in the back of my eyes that I couldn’t blink away.

“And a few months later when I was entering my third year, once I had finally gotten over the grunt of it, I’d seen a poster stapled up on a telephone pole on my way to The Little Crow. Something had caught my eye. It was his face. It was Atsumu, with his brother and three other people I didn’t recognize. It was a flyer for their band,” Hinata trailed off, his shoulders rising with a deep breath. “They'd be playing at some hole-in-the-wall venue. I,” he sighed, “was a lot of things. Confused, furious, sad, and it all hit me at once like a tidal wave. I knew–I knew I had the potential to love him and maybe I had already fallen in love with him... so it just made it so much harder to see his face there in front of me but not the actual thing. I had so many questions. So, I went to their show and stood in the crowd of about 20-30 people, but once they came on stage and Atsumu greeted the crowd, I left. He had looked... happy. And I couldn’t do anything about that. If he had moved on and was happy, then who was I to take that away from him? So, I left and tried to erase every memory of Atsumu from my world. 

“It had worked. I mean, I used some of my emotions to fuel a few songs but, other than that, I was able to move on. And then, this Saturday, he just showed up. Out of nowhere. And after all these years!” he exclaimed with a huff, hands aggressively hit out a wonky chord. “He just appeared at the club, talking to me as if we were good friends who just happened to fall out of touch after high school. As if he hadn’t cared at all what he had done to me. And the worst part was that even though it hurt, I couldn’t bother to bring it all back up again. I had questions, things I wanted to say that I’d been planning to say to him for _years_ ,” Hinata said in a rush, his voice getting strained. “But in that moment that I saw him, none of it mattered anymore. I had grown into a different person. He’d grown into a different person. We just weren’t who we were back in high school and there was no way to change what had already been done. So I didn’t say anything to him like I thought I would have the next time I saw his face. And, you know, I’m honestly okay with that. It’s in the past, so I’ll let it be as is. 

“I’m still pissed at him for what he did,” he continued, words coming out more harsh than Kageyama had ever heard before, “but everything now is better than if he had stayed, I think.” Hinata turned around slowly so that his side faced Kageyama. He turned his head to fully look at him. Kageyama hated the look he saw in Hinata’s eyes, hurt swimming in the amber pools. “Well, almost better,” he admitted with a humorless, breathy laugh. “Funny how life is like that sometimes, throwing us right back into situations we never thought we’d have to experience again.” Hinata looked away for a second, teeth digging into his bottom lip before turning his gaze back to Kageyama. “I don’t know what I did, Kageyama,” he began softly, the edges of his voice shaky, “but I won’t know how to fix it unless you tell me.”

Kagyeama’s gaze trained on the floor in front of him. He hadn’t known when it had happened, but he felt his fists clenched at his sides. He hadn’t been expecting any of that. What was more surprising was the _anger_ he felt because of the story. He couldn’t believe that someone had actually _done_ that to Hinata, that someone could just leave a relationship without a word.

“Look, I– uh, I understand if that was all too much. Sorry, I’ll just go–” Hinata said as he started to get up from his seat at the piano, but Kageyama got up abruptly, too, startling Hinata into silence.

Kageyama flexed his fingers before clenching them into fists again. He was pissed all over again, but for different reasons. He had seen Atsumu, he had watched the man take Hinata away from him at the club, and then Kageyama just _left_ . He was selfish, he thought that Hinata had just walked away because of him, but no, there were things Kageyama just never understood. But now that he got the picture, the only person he really could be mad at was himself. Hinata was hurting, and he hadn’t even noticed. He had made it _worse_.

“I didn't know,” he said through his teeth.

Kageyama watched Hinata’s eyes widened with panic. He frantically waved his arms in front of him, probably misinterpreting Kageyama’s hostility. “Ah! No, uh, it’s okay. I mean, I never said anything about it before so I couldn’t expect you to have known about it.”

“Still,” Kageyama grunted, “I’m sorry.” He crossed his arms with a huff, suddenly unable to look at Hinata. “I’m sorry that I’ve been ignoring you. I,” he trailed off, his brows furrowing as he tried to choose his words carefully, “I’ve just been going through some things myself.” He steeled his nerves, deciding to look Hinata in the eyes before speaking next. “But I’m figuring it out.”

He suddenly found himself unable to breathe with the look Hinata gave him next. Hinata’s hurt and panic melted into a soft smile, his eyes warming and causing all the air to rush out of Kageyama’s lungs. “I’m glad to hear that,” he spoke softly. The light coming from the small window made Hinata’s eyes glow like molten gold. He looked so _warm_. He felt his heart stutter in his chest.

Kageyama sighed. He slowly stepped forward, walking past Hinata to sit on the bench. Without a word, Hinata joined him. The bench wasn’t that big, so their shoulders pressed up against each other. Kageyama ignored the goosebumps that spread out from their point of contact. He pressed on a single white key, letting the low note ring clear in the silent room.

Once it faded out, Hinata spoke. “You nervous about tomorrow?” he asked quietly, not breaking the fragile atmosphere around them.

Kageyama let the question sink in, actually allowing himself to think before replying. “No,” he responded truthfully after a beat. “I’ve been watching Oikawa perform for years,” he continued, letting his fingers glide against the keys of the piano, “I know everything he’s capable of. And he knows everything about me.” He turned his gaze to meet Hinata. “He doesn’t know about you, though. We have that to our advantage.”

Hinata was silent for a moment, watching Kageyama with such intensity that he felt he could melt right there. The spell was broken when Hinata looked away, gazing down at his fingers that lay on the keys. Hinata gave a soft chuckle. “I guess you’re right.”

“Of course I am,” Kageyama huffed, maybe trying to go back to their bickering which he missed more than he would ever admit. But his voice was soft, maybe even fond. It sounded weird to his own ears. He looked over at Hinata again, eyes tracing Hinata’s profile. The sunlight was pretty much gone, leaving them in a shadowy room. But, somehow, Hinata still looked like he was glowing. The feelings he had been fighting against for the past few days clawed at his chest. For once, he actually let the emotions overtake him, and like a breath of fresh air, his mind was suddenly clear. It was so strikingly clear, and Kageyama realized how absolutely _fucked_ he was. He was a dumbass. 

“Play the songs for tomorrow,” he rushed out, forcing his voice back to its normal gruffness.

“What?” Hinata squeaked out, surprised by Kageyama’s sudden aggressiveness. 

“You heard me dumbass,” he bit out, not letting himself start fidgeting with his fingers. “Play the songs for tomorrow. We’re here, so might as well practice.”

Like the break of dawn, Hinata beamed up at him. From this proximity, he was surprised he hadn’t gone blind. He dropped his gaze down to Hinata’s fingers as they pressed into the first note. His eyes widened, panic rising in his throat as the realization fully sank in.

* * *

He couldn’t breathe. His palms were unbelievably sweaty. His heartbeat was pounding so loud in his ears. He felt like he was going to be sick.

Kuroo ran a nervous hand through his hair for the umpteenth time. He didn’t even want to think about the state of mess his hair was in now because of it. He’d performed more times than he could count in front of full venues of screaming fans, watching and critiquing his every move.

But never in his life had he ever been this nervous.

He took in a deep breath, trying to fill every crevice of his lungs with much-needed oxygen. He felt like he was about to pass out. To try and ebb the nerves, he recalled the feeling of Kenma’s hand on his face as he sang to him whilst performing. It hadn’t been planned, and the gesture had caused Kuroo’s entire being to shut down before being splashed with cold water as he had remembered where he was and what he was doing. In that moment, his mind scrambled just to keep his fingers moving across the strings. But the thought calmed him, at least somewhat, letting a semblance of hope flutter in his chest that maybe Kenma reciprocated his feelings, that what he had done yesterday wasn't just a part of a performance. 

His eyes strained to make out any movement in the darkness that surrounded him. The room wasn’t large. He had decided to use the small building they used to practice in since it was accessible and he was able to pull some strings with the technicians. In the mere seconds that followed, Kuroo somehow picked apart his entire plan and found every flaw. He was going to puke. He needed to get off of this stage while he still had his pride. But before he could continue with his escape plan, he heard the opening of a door and the soft shuffling of feet.

Kuroo’s heart leapt up into his throat.

He gulped against the hard rock in his chest. Seriously, if he puked right now Kenma would never look at him ever again.

“Kuro?” he heard Kenma ask softly from the darkness. The sound of his voice almost made Kuroo relax.

Almost.

Kuroo tapped on a button at his feet and two sets of lights came on. The electricity buzzed in the silence as he watched Kenma squint against the lights that were suddenly illuminating him where he stood in front of the stage. Kuroo barely flinched at the bright light of his own spotlight. He sent a silent thank you to Yaku for hooking him up with the light system, even though he’d be paying for it for the rest of his life. He watched Kenma’s eyes widen uncharacteristically as he took in Kuroo. And Kuroo did the same, taking in his lithe form swathed in a jacket that just had to have been Kuroo's, the ends of his hair curling against his jaw, his golden eyes glowing in the spotlight. The sight made his entire body thrum. But before he could let the nerves sink in any longer, Kuroo quickly looked away to focus on his fingers against the guitar strings. Without further prompting, he began picking out a soft melody. His fingers felt awkward, like they were numb from being out in the cold for too long.

He gulped again and was relieved that the sound wasn’t loud enough to be picked up by the live microphone in front of his mouth. 

** Please Notice - Christian Leave ( **Bold** \- Kuroo) **

**And baby when you sleep, do you dream of me?**

**And when you're awake, do you think of me?**

**I need to know, how do you feel?**

He began singing, his voice shaking just a bit at the first few words, but low and soft as it floated through the speakers and over the entire venue, meeting in the middle for his audience of one. He closed his eyes, scared of what was beyond them. 

**Cause baby when I sleep, I dream of you**

**And when I'm awake, that's all I do**

**Think about every detail you have**

**Do you notice when I get mad, I clench my jaw?**

**Do you notice when I get sad, I tend to fall?**

**Look at my words I say to you**

He wasn’t usually the one to write songs, since Kenma liked composing music, but when he had gotten the idea for his confession, the melody and the lyrics just seemed to flow out of him. He knew that it wasn’t a complex song, but he put everything he had into its composition, and he hoped Kenma could feel that. It was a simple song, but they had always been simple.

**Cause I notice when you get mad**

**You close your eyes**

**And I notice when you are sad**

**You let out sighs**

**I need to know are those sighs ever over me?**

He switched to strumming, slowly peeling his eyes open. His gaze fell on Kenma, he was singing to him, _for_ him, and he wasn't sure what the outcome would be, but he just hoped Kenma would understand. He could clearly see the man’s face, eyes wide and lips parted. He looked absolutely beautiful under the soft glow of the stage lights. It reminded Kuroo of the first time he had seen Kenma on a stage, the lights had seemingly been made for him. Kuroo knew then Kenma would have to be the lead, so that everyone could see Kenma, could focus on the man's beauty that was too good to be left out of the spotlight. His heart picked up pace with the song, his thoughts becoming more scattered, his voice more desperate. _God, I love you_ , his mind whispered to himself as he sang with everything he could. Each strum had its purpose, each word, each intake of breath. Everything he did in that moment was meant for the man in front of him, the one person who had been at his side for as long as he could remember, and he wanted– no, _needed_ – to show him that.

**Do you know how in love with you**

**I am**

**Do you see how in love with you**

**I am**

**Everything that you do, it makes my heart stop**

**Oh, it stops**

**And baby when you sleep, do you dream of me?**

Kuroo ended the song with a final strum, his chest heaving, barely any air whistling into his lungs. But he knew it wasn’t from the singing. As he looked out at Kenma, his heart continued to pound incessantly in his chest and the tips of his fingers tingled. Kenma’s eyes were still wide, but there was a slight crease between his brows. Kuroo continued to search the man’s face from up on the stage, and his resolve began to crumble as the seconds drew by and the silence grew. Doubt began to claw at his thoughts, creeping in from the darkness that filled the space between them.

Before he could back out, he shrugged off the acoustic guitar, placing it on the stage before hooping off of it. He paused at the foot of the stage, no longer in the spotlight, but he could still clearly see Kenma who stood frozen in place.

His brain screamed at him to hurry up and play it off as a joke, to just _say something_. He couldn't handle it. He thought he would be able to handle the rejection, that everything would be fine as long as he had Kenma in his life, but he couldn't stop from thinking now whether Kenma would even want to keep him.

“Kenma–”

“Shut up," the man cut him off. He brought a terse hand up as his eyes squeezed shut. "Just shut up for two seconds and let me think.”

Kuroo snapped his mouth shut. His own eyes went wide as he watched Kenma, the man slowly peeling his eyes open to glance at his surroundings with a slow turn of his head before looking up to meet Kuroo’s gaze once more.

“Kuroo," he whispered, the syllables rolling off of his tongue slowly, "Is this real?” His voice still the same uninterested drone as usual, but if Kuroo focused hard enough, he thought he heard a slight tremor toward the end of his words.

Kuroo pursed his lips together to keep them from shaking before speaking. He’d come this far, so might as well just swallow the bite he's taken. “Only if you want it to be," he responded in a breath, the sound almost inaudible even to his own ears.

The crease between Kenma’s brows deepened, and if he hadn't known better, he would have thought Kenma hadn't even heard what he said. But he knew better. He didn't let his eyes leave Kenma's face, taking in every twitch and emotion that passed. Kenma's own eyes didn't leave his face either, his eyes flicking around Kuroo's face, analyzing, _searching_.

“Do you like me?”

All of his breath left him in one fell swoop, like he had been punched in the gut. He was hyperaware of every part of his body and yet everything felt numb in that second. His tongue felt like cotton in his mouth. Everything in him screamed all at once to deny it. But before he could, his lips moved upon its own accord, deciding on an answer of its own.

“Yes,” he croaked out, his throat suddenly very dry. _Fuck, it’s now or never._ “Yes, Kenma, I like you. A lot.”

The crease between his eyebrows slowly disappeared as Kenma’s jaw went slack, his lips parting silently. “Really?” he asked in a small whisper.

“Yes, Ken,” Kuroo said, flitting an exasperated hand through his hair. “Did I not just sing a song I wrote for you, confessing my love _for you,_ ” he said without thinking, once again. His entire body went stiff, panic clawing its way back into his mind. Had he really just said that? It was too soon for love, love could scare the little cat away.

But before he could take it back, Kenma was walking toward him. Kuroo’s eyes widened, still unable to move away as Kenma took a few steps to meet him in the semi darkness. His figure was only a mere back-lit silhouette now, but Kuroo could still see his bright irises. Then, there was a sharp pain in his left shoulder.

“Ow! What the fuck, Ken?” he exclaimed, instantly moving to rub at the sore spot on his shoulder. _Fuck_ , he thought, _Kenma was angry. Out of all the things, I hadn’t thought he’d get angry_.

“You stupid jerk,” Kenma told him.

An embarrassing sound escaped his throat. He hadn’t prepared for this. Outright rejection, yes. An angry and violent Kenma? Absolutely not. He threw his hands out at his sides, about to ask what was wrong before another punch came colliding into his shoulder again, right into the same spot.

Kuroo let out a loud, pathetic yelp as he cradled his shoulder again, taking a step back. “Kenma! What the fu–”

“What took you so long?” Kenma asked, his voice cracking, the sound strained and desperate.

And, suddenly, Kuroo wished he could see Kenma’s face clearly. He wished to see his expression, to see if there were a mix of emotions painted onto the mans face. It would have been a rare sight, and Kuroo would have locked the image away into his mind forever. But he couldn't see him, so without saying a word, he took Kenma up into his arms, holding him close so that Kenma wouldn’t be able to punch him again. His presence was so warm, and so _familiar_. How many times had they touched each other like this, had just stayed in each other's company so comfortably without another thought? But now it was different. They were still the same people, but now there was something else there, just the kindling of hope, an ember of want. Slowly, he felt Kenma’s arms wrap around his neck in return, causing Kuroo’s grip around the other’s middle to tighten. He buried his face into Kenma’s shoulder and let the situation sink in, basking in the lightness of his fluttering heart.

Kuroo gave one last squeeze before pulling back the slightest bit. Kenma’s hands fell to rest on his biceps, his fingers fiddling with the fabric of his shirt where they stopped. He looked into Kenma’s eyes, the color somehow more ethereal even in the dark, their faces only a mere inch apart. Their breaths mixed in the small space between them, and Kuroo was getting lost in the close proximity. It seemed that breathing in Kenma's carbon dioxide had done something to his brain, fuddled with any coherent thought as he began to close the distance, leaning in ever so slowly. His gaze flitted down to the shape of Kenma’s mouth. He was so close, practically feeling the warmth radiating from Kenma’s lips, and just as he was about to close the small distance left between them and finally kiss his best friend, a hand pushed into the side of his face.

He pulled back fully as the hand pushed his face in the other direction away. He stood back up, eyes blinking in the darkness and shocked by the impact, like he had just been woken up from a dream.

“I–I’m sorry,” he heard Kenma spit out quickly, “I panicked.” Fingertips brushed his cheek, the one that had been pushed on, before a small palm caressed it. “I’m sorry,” Kenma repeated in a small voice, “I’m still letting this all sink in.”

A small, affectionate laugh bubbled out of Kuroo’s chest. He had to admit that was unbelievably cute. The barest touch of lips on his opposite cheek made his breath catch in his chest. As fast as it appeared, the lips were gone. Kuroo choked on air as he forced his lungs to move again. Seriously, it was the smallest of pecks and it had Kuroo losing his breath.

“Kenma, I swear,” he gritted out, voice low and gruff as he bowed his head to hide it in the crook of Kenma’s neck again, “you’re going to be the death of me.” He felt the other man’s body shiver slightly, and he couldn’t help the grin that pulled at his lips. This had to be a dream. He gave Kenma’s neck a soft peck before pulling away. He removed his arms from Kenma’s waist and placed one hand on Kenma’s head, letting the soft strands slip between his fingers. “C’mon, let’s go,” he whispered.

His hand slipped off of the shorter man’s head before he started walking. He felt Kenma at his side, following him out of the venue. Before they stepped out of the door, he felt Kenma’s pinky slowly wrap around his own. His heart squeezed at the gesture, and it took everything in his power not to try and kiss him again.

They walked out into the warm night, the world a little darker and quieter in this corner of Tokyo. Holding onto the small pinky, he began down the sidewalk, keeping their pace slow. He was afraid that at any moment, the ground would shatter beneath his feet and he'd be hurdled back into reality, waking up to his bed with the realization that none of this had actually happened. So if that were the case, he was going to enjoy this for as long as he could.

“Um,” Kenma’s soft voice spoke out into the silence. Kuroo could feel him fidget beside him, so he slowed to a stop, turning slightly to look down at Kenma. “Do you wanna get sushi or something?” the man asked, eyes gazing at the side before looking at him.

“Wait, really?” Kuroo questioned, trying not to let his heart get too excited again. Kenma couldn’t be saying–

“Yeah, um, I know how much you like fish, so…” Kenma trailed off, squeezing his pinky around Kuroo’s like a nervous habit, “I thought maybe we could get some sushi. If you want.”

Kenma paid enough attention to figure out that he loved fish. Kenma somehow tolerated being around him, chose to stick with him for all these years.

His heart swelled unbelievably as he scooped the smaller man up into his arms again, squishing him to his chest. Kenma immediately started struggling, kicking his feet that dangled a few inches above the ground.

“Kuro, we’re in public. Put me down.”

“No one’s around,” he quickly said, pulling Kenma even closer to him as if he could swallow him whole. Kenma paused in his wiggling before going completely slack in his hold. Kuroo couldn’t begin to believe anything that had happened tonight, the amount that Kenma was allowing him to do. He never wanted to let go of him. He was so warm. 

But, admittedly, he was really hungry.

So, with one more squeeze, Kuroo reluctantly put the man down. Kenma went easily, standing on his own two feet again with grace. With a cheeky smile, Kuroo offered an open palm to Kenma. The shorter man stared at it for a moment before a pretty blush lightly dusted his cheekbones. Kuroo had the sudden urge to pull out his phone and take a picture. But then Kenma’s palm slid against his own, their fingers fitting in between each other’s so perfectly that Kuroo could have cried. With a light squeeze, he took Kenma’s hand and led him down the quiet street.

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> My friend yakukinnie just posted their first two fics, they're sakuatsu oneshots and I would really appreciate it if y’all would give it a read hehe :) No pressure but if ya like sakuatsu then I’d recommend! (and if ya haven’t read sakuatsu before, HIGHLY recommend reading some fics,,, I’ve got a whole buncha recs for that pair so if ya want sakuatsu fics just message me on here and I shall provide)
> 
> Also, I’m writing a matsuhana right now so keep an eye out for that hehe, it’s different than what I’ve written so far and I’m really excited for it.
> 
> Anyway, much love, thank you for all the support and I’ll see y’all soon.


	18. Quarterfinals: Fire Meet Gasoline

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> Big chapter for y'all today (~10.2k words!)
> 
> hope ya like it! I am also posting this at 2am and haven't had a chance to proofread yet but I just wanted to get it up already lol, so pls don't mind any mistakes and I'll go back to fix it later
> 
> Thank you so much for all the comments and kudos, I rlly appreciate the support! Much love <3 :)

“Hey,” Hinata said, nudging his shoulder against Kageyama’s as they walked, “I thought you said you weren’t nervous?”

The other man grew rigid once again before letting a huff out through his nose. “I’m not,” Kageyama grumbled, looking away.

Hinata chuckled softly. Sometimes it was hard for him to remember that he and Kageyama were the same age, since the other acted like a grumpy old man ninety-percent of the time. But it was nice being able to get this close to Kageyama again, getting to see the sides of him others would never have the chance to.

No amount of words could express how content Hinata was. He hadn’t expected to have that conversation with Kageyama yesterday, nor did he expect to tell him so much about Atsumu, but it had felt like the right thing to do. And he was glad he did, in all honesty. He felt as though a weight had been lifted off of his shoulders after telling Kageyama the truth of his past and what had happened on Saturday night. And it seemed as though Kageyama were better because of it, as well. Hinata still wasn’t sure what had caused all of that turmoil between him and Kageyama, but he was almost proud to hear that Kageyama was taking it upon himself to try and fix it. From the bits and pieces that he knew of Kageyama’s past, he would have thought that Kageyama would just sweep their friendship under the rug as if it never happened at all, unbothered to salvage whatever they had. But the man surprised him.

It was easier than he had thought it would be to delve back into their old rhythm. They had stayed for hours after their conversation, and whilst Kageyama was a little more awkward and fidgety than normal, Hinata was pleased. He chalked up the man’s odd behavior to whatever he said he was trying to figure out. Hinata was curious to know what went on in the genius musician’s head, but Kageyama never mentioned it again last night, so Hinata told himself he wouldn’t pry. At least not yet.

“You excited to play your song?” Hinata asked quietly, looking up through the corner of his eyes to watch Kageyama’s reaction. But the other man seemed fine, nodding slowly before speaking.

“Yeah, I mean it is my first time performing one of my own songs,” he started, “but we’ve practiced it so much that it just feels natural.”

Hinata nodded silently in agreement. He understood what Kageyama was talking about. Performing a song that he composed himself always made Hinata feel a certain warmth. His nerves would alight at the thought of playing it for others, excitement and anxiety mixing together, but it was always accompanied by a sort of calm, like the song was just a part of him. Like there was nothing else but to just play it and let it flow through him.

They reached the edge of the stage, coming to a stop just before they would be visible to the audience. Hinata looked out at the stage in front of them, now somewhat used to the sight as they waited once again for their turn to perform. It was the usual procedure they went through, but the air around them felt different, charged with a different energy now that they were in the finals. He watched the lights dance, and his eyes wandered around as the two bands out on the stage waited for the verdict. 

Then, he saw it. The glimpse of light bleach-blonde hair on the opposite side of the stage. And Hinata’s heart leapt into his throat, blood pounding in his ears as panic bubbled and his eyes latched onto Miya Atsumu.

“Hinata?” he heard Kageyama say from his side. But Hinata couldn’t find it in himself to take his eyes off of Atsumu and respond. He could feel Kageyama’s gaze on him like icy daggers. And then it was gone, and he heard Kageyama’s breath catch in his chest as he followed Hinata’s line of sight.

“That’s…” he began before trailing off, a pregnant pause following.

Hinata swallowed thickly. “Yeah.”

“Are you okay?” 

If Hinata’s mind hadn’t gone numb, he would have reacted more to Kageyama’s show of concern for him. But all he could do was watch in a placated state as Atsumu laughed at something a black and white-haired man had said. His smile looked exactly the same, if not more handsome.

“Hinata. Snap out of it,” Kageyama grit out, placing both hands roughly onto Hinata’s shoulders. Hinata blinked, suddenly looking into blue eyes as Kageyama’s face now blocked his view. The man’s face was probably only a mere few inches away from his.

Hinata inhaled a shaky breath. He nodded jerkily, more to tell himself that he was fine than to appease Kageyama. He let himself look into Kageyama’s eyes. And with another breath, he felt himself calm down. He nodded again, this time more sure.

“I’m okay,” he said lowly. Kageyama stayed for a beat longer, a conflicting expression flashing in his eyes before leaning back and letting his hands slip off of Hinata’s shoulders. Hinata repressed a shudder. Slowly, as Kageyama returned to stand at his side, he looked back up just in time to see Atsumu’s band– Twin Tails– win.

Hinata’s heart dropped with the sudden realization. If they won today, they’d compete against Atsumu tomorrow.

“Hey, idiot,” he felt a knuckle knock against the side of his head gently. “Who cares if we have to go against them,” Kageyama said, as if somehow reading Hinata’s mind. “We’re going to win no matter what.”

Hinata felt his eyes widen, warmth spreading in his chest as his heart started pounding again, but this time for a completely different reason. He quickly looked away, afraid that his blushing cheeks would give away the emotions swirling in his heart.

He was saved by the call of the stagehand beside them, telling them they could now go onto the stage. Hinata stole a quick glance at Kageyama, but the man was already looking somewhere else. He let out a small exhale in relief. And he let out another one when he saw Atsumu and his band walk off into the opposite walkway leading backstage. They followed Daichi onto the stage just as The Grand Court made themselves known. Oikawa shot a wave of his fingers to the crowd with a wink, and Iwaizumi trailed a step behind him, arms crossed over his chest. Hanamaki and Matsukawa followed them, talking to each other casually as if the audience wasn’t there at all. As he watched them, walking to his own area at the front of the stage, Hinata noticed that Oikawa didn’t really look like his usual self. He cocked his head to the side, taking in the large charismatic smile that only did so much to hide the dullness of his skin and the shadows under his eyes. 

Oikawa slowly turned his head to look at Hinata, probably having felt his gaze. Hinata jumped and sent a quick wave to the man that he hoped didn’t look as guilty as he felt before scurrying to finish setting up his equipment.

Whilst Hinata plugged in his last wire, it was announced that they would be going first. He paused, slowly looking up to the two large screens to see the ‘Take Flight!’ in large lettering above the tails side of a coin. He let out the breath he hadn’t known he was holding in a long exhale. Going up against The Grand Court was going to be hard enough, and now they would have the advantage of performing last for the crowd. But Hinata shook the thought from his head. There was no need to worry about things like that, things that were now out of his control. All he had to do was perform to the best of his abilities, and they’d have a chance at winning it.

His slow exhale whistled through his teeth. His fingertips hovered over the keys as he brought his mouth up to the microphone. He stole a glance at Kageyama to find blue eyes already on him. His breath stuttered. He averted his gaze back to the crowd in front of them, silently hoping they’d enjoy the new songs they had prepared for them tonight. The first one he had composed with Tsukishima, the two having surprisingly similar tastes even though the way they went about things were different. He really hoped the crowd liked it as much as he did.

** Sun - Two Door Cinema Club ( **Bold** \- Kageyama, _Italics_ \- Hinata) **

_Ocean blue_

_What have I done to you?_

_Cut so deep_

_Yet growing through and through_

Daichi gave them a count, and then Hinata simultaneously pressed the first chord and sang out the first set of lyrics. It was just his voice and the ringing of piano notes playing through the speakers, reminding him of his start playing at The Little Crow. He pressed out a few more lone chords, before Daichi, Suga, and Tsukishima joined in all at once for a short instrumental. His favorite part of the song had to be the part that they had written for Suga, his guitar pieces having more prominence in the song and tying the melody together.

_Drawn apart_

_New York and London_

_All I see now_

_Are distant drumlins_

_The roads I knew_

_Became a city_

_And I wonder_

_Will you wait for me?_

Hinata began singing again, pulling more energy into his voice and the crowd responded nicely, jumping along to the melody. He moved his body to the beat, letting the music carry and naturally move through him.

**_Although_ **

**_I'm far away_ **

**_I know I'll stay, I know I'll stay_ **

**_Right there with you_ **

**_Though_ **

**_It might be too late_ **

**_What would you say? What would you say?_ **

**_What would you do?_ **

Kageyama joined him for the chorus, their voices backed up by Daichi’s soft beat and Tsukishima’s bass. Hinata’s voice was higher than Kageyama’s, but they had written this song with the knowledge of how well their voices meshed together. It made Hinata giddy just hearing their harmonized voices over the roar of the crowd. Another short instrumental followed, and Hinata looked to his left, past Kageyama to watch Suga. The man’s fingers expertly pressed down onto the frets and slid across strings, his head silver hair rocking to the beat and a wide grin on his face.

**I built a hive**

**Became one with the bees**

**But we fell like rain**

**Got lost into the sea**

**If I don't know**

**The wind will carry me**

**So just hold tight**

Kageyama’s cool voice drew his attention. He let his gaze linger as the other man sang, listening to the way he sung the lyrics Hinata had written. Once again, he was reminded of Kageyama’s talent as he watched the way he sang with such ease. He may have been intimidated by the fact before, but now it was just a beautiful sight.

**_Though_ **

**_I'm far away_ **

**_I know I'll stay, I know I'll stay_ **

**_Right there with you_ **

**_And though_ **

**_It might be too late_ **

**_What would you say? What would you say?_ **

**_What would you do?_ **

They went into the chorus again, their energies feeding off of each other as they sang in perfect unison. Even though they had managed to sing well enough for their Round 2 performance, Hinata could tell there was a difference now. Without the barrier that had held them back before, they were playing at their absolute best, one person pulling the other to perform at 150%.

**Over and over**

**Many setting suns**

**I have run**

**I have waited for the rain to come**

As Kageyama began the bridge, he looked over at Hinata, singing the lyrics to him to add to the performance. And, of course, Hinata could do nothing else but to look right back at him. For a brief moment, he wondered if Kageyama would ever be willing to sing for him, to look at him like that, outside of a performance.

_When through that mist_

_I see the shape of you_

_And I know, and I know_

_That I'm in love with you_

After Hinata sang that last lyric, there was a short pause in everyone’s playing, and in that moment, time seemed to stop. No sound came into his ears, no air into his lungs, just the sight of Kageyama and the warm feeling in his chest. Then, Suga strummed the song back to life and Hinata was reeled back into reality. His fingers still played against the keys without any thought, and it took him a moment to regain his focus, just in time to go into the last chorus with Kageyama.

**_Though_ **

**_I'm far away_ **

**_I know I'll stay, I know I'll stay_ **

**_Right there with you_ **

**_And though_ **

**_It might be too late_ **

**_What would you say? What would you say?_ **

**_What would you do?_ **

The song slowly died out with Hinata’s press of keys and Suga’s plucking. The crowd was buzzing, the sound numbing to his ears. His gaze flitted over the venue, watching the energized crowd. And he couldn’t help it, he turned his eyes to Kageyama beside him. Much to his surprise, Kageyama was already looking at him. Happy laughter bubbled in his chest. They were okay. Nothing was wrong between them now. He sent Kageyama a cheeky grin, hoping it translated how delighted he was with their performance.

Then, The Grand Court began playing, the sound of trumpets and snaps filling the venue. Hinata tore his gaze away to watch them, his eyes falling on Oikawa who had already left his microphone stand.

** American Cliche - FINNEAS ( **Bold** \- Oikawa) **

**Too little to do for too long and**

**Too little of you for my songs**

**To be anything but lonely**

**In a couple weeks, you'll own me**

Oikawa made his way to the edge of the stage, his voice low and smooth as he sang. The lights glew deep reds and blues around him, lighting his hair into a colorful crown.

**Too tired to sleep, good morning**

**And I'm too wired to heed the warning**

**That there's danger in the summer**

**The calm before the thunder**

He began snapping along to the song with his free hand, his shoulders and steps moving in time to the music and the lilt of his voice.

**I'm an American cliché**

**Missing a girl in a French café**

**I say, "Goddamn, you're beautiful"**

**You blush and duck out of frame**

**I'm an American cliché**

**Missing a girl in a French café**

**I say, "How'd I get along so long without you?"**

**And you say, "Same"**

The music slowed, leaving Oikawa’s voice raw and clear over the speakers. The crowd seemed enraptured by the sight of him as he acted along to the song, swaying his head and hips. Hinata watched him pick out specific groups from the crowd to sing to, choosing that lucky person who got to have Oikawa’s attention even if for just half a second.

**Graveyard, Jim Morrison forever**

**In my arms, they'll have to bury us together**

**'Cause I'm never gonna let you go**

**Uh-oh, uh-oh**

He hugged his extra arm around himself, and image so perfect it could have been sculpted by the Greeks.

**Missed my flight, making love in the morning**

**While everybody else was boarding**

**They love to say they told you so**

**I know, I know, I know**

Hinata understood why people liked Oikawa, he had a way of moving his body along with every sound that came from his mouth, every move planned out yet so smooth in execution it just seemed natural. It was hard to believe he was born to be anything but a performer.

**I'm an American cliché**

**Missing a girl in a French café**

**I say, "Goddamn, you're beautiful"**

**You blush and duck out of frame**

**I'm an American cliché**

**Missing a girl in a French café**

**I say, "How'd I get along so long without you?"**

**And you say, "Same"**

Oikawa’s voice came out as a whisper, rolling across the venue in soft waves before the music kicked back up.

“Something’s not right,” he heard Kageyama say, stealing Hinata’s attention.

Hinata turned to look at him. “What do you mean?” he asked with a cock of his head. Kageyama still wasn’t looking at him, his arms crossed over his chest as his gaze trained on what he assumed was Oikawa.

“Oikawa’s off,” he said simply. And before Hinata could ask for an explanation, Oikawa began singing again.

**Come on over now**

**You're one layover down**

**No one we know around**

**Don't want the city without you**

**I want you**

**We'll go all over town**

**No one we know around**

**Can't say I'm sober now**

**Do something I'm not allowed to**

**I want you**

Hinata went back to watching Oikawa. He had noticed that Oikawa looked different, but now that Kageyama mentioned it, he could see it: the way Oikawa’s eyes never looked up at the crowd for too long, the way his expressions weren’t as sultry as Hinata knew they could be, his runs not as impressive, his moves less energetic and more focused on the look than the feeling it may produce. It was as if he were a puppet on strings, just going through the motions.

**I'm an American cliché**

**Missing a girl in a French café**

**I say, "Goddamn, you're beautiful"**

**You blush and duck out of frame**

**I'm an American cliché**

**Missing a girl in a French café**

**I say, "How'd I get along so long without you?"**

**And you say, "Same"**

Matsukawa ended the song with an energetic lick. Oikawa looked beat. His chest was heaving and his eyes somehow looked even more sunken now. Sweat glistened on the side of his forehead, shining in the colorful stage lights that just made him look even paler. It was the most disheveled Hinata had ever seen the man, and he couldn’t help but to think back to that night at the club, hearing Oikawa cry alone in the stall before coming out like nothing at all had happened. 

“Hinata, c’mon,” Kageyama said, calling him back into the present. “Don’t mess up my song.”

Hinata let his gaze linger on Oikawa for a second longer, sending out a silent wish into the universe that he would be alright before letting out a huff. “Whatever, I know you’re excited,” he responded, turning to look at Kageyama just as the man looked away. Hinata laughed softly, having caught onto Kageyama’s eagerness even though he tried not to show it.

He took in a deep breath, focusing back onto the microphone and keyboard in front of him. He actually didn’t want to mess up the song. It was Kageyama’s; the first song the man had written with lyrics, and it would be the first song he’d written that would be performed by the band. And, for some reason, Kageyama had written in such a pivotal role in the song for a piano, so Hinata needed to do it justice. He needed to give the song his all, just like he knew Kageyama would.

** All The Right Moves - OneRepublic ( **Bold** \- Kageyama, _Italics_ \- Hinata) **

Hinata started off the song with long presses on the keyboard before Daichi joined in with the beat.

_All the right friends in all the right places_

**_So yeah, we're goin' down_ **

**_They got_ ** _all the right moves in all the right faces_

**_So yeah, we're goin' down_ **

And with that, Hinata went into the song, singing the first set of lyrics loudly right from the start. It got the crowd going, and even more so when Kageyama joined in at certain points, harmonizing with him to create depth even with just the vocals. 

**Let's paint the picture of the perfect place**

**They got it better than what anyone's told you**

**They'll be the King of Hearts, and you're the Queen of Spades**

**Then we'll fight for you like we were your soldiers**

Hinata continued to play as Kageyama sang the first verse. His eyes drifted to the other man, and he watched the way his Adam's apple would bob up and down against creamy skin tinted pink and orange from the lights. His bangs laid flat against his forehead, except for a single stubborn strand that would always find its way away from the rest while Kageyama performed.

**I know we got it good, but they got it made**

**And their grass is getting greener each day**

**I know things are looking up, but soon they'll take us down**

**Before anybody's knowin' our name**

Kageyama carried on singing out to the crowd from behind his stand. Violins joined the background music, just adding to the song instead of distracting the listener with so many layers. It was seriously a wonder how Kageyama was able to add so many instruments and sounds without the song getting lost and muddled.

 **They got** _all the right friends in all the right places_

**_So yeah, we're goin' down_ **

_They got all the right moves in all the right faces_

**_So yeah, we're goin' down_ **

**_They say everybody knows, everybody knows where we're goin'_ **

**Yeah, we're goin' down**

**_They say everybody knows, everybody knows where we're goin'_ **

**_Yeah, we're goin' down_ **

When Hinata had heard the first version of the song all those weeks ago, just recorded with Kageyama’s voice and playing, he had been surprised by how much depth it had. All of the elements were complex and played a role in the larger sense of the song, and the listener would be able to pick out a new sound with each listen. Then, he had wanted to listen to it on repeat for hours, pick apart the melodies and keys. He wanted to listen to Kageyama sing out those lyrics he had written for himself.

_Do you think I'm special?_

_Do you think I'm nice, am I bright enough to shine in your spaces?_

_Between the noise you hear, and the sound you like_

_Are we just sinking in an ocean of faces?_

**It can't be possible that rain could fall**

**Only when it's over our heads**

**The sun is shining everyday, but it's far away**

**Over their world instead, they got, they got**

Hinata’s voice sang over the tinkling keys, before it switched over to Kageyama. The violins joined in for his part, resonating over the venue.

_All the right friends in all the right places_

**_So yeah, we're goin' down_ **

_They got all the right moves in all the right faces_

**_So yeah, we're goin' down_ **

**_They say_ ** _everybody knows, everybody knows where we're goin'_

**Yeah, we're goin' down**

**_They say everybody knows, everybody knows where we're goin'_ **

**_Yeah, we're goin' down_ **

They looked to each other as they sang the chorus once again. There was about five feet of space separating them, but even then, Hinata could see the way the stage lights reflected a rainbow in Kageyama’s eyes. The ends of Kageyama’s bangs were beginning to stick to the sides of his forehead, but Hinata couldn’t help but think the sight was beautiful. It was because of their hard work that they looked like this, and Hinata was sure he looked just as tired, just as sweaty, but he hoped Kageyama found that he looked just as pretty, too. The end of the chorus led into a short instrumental, Suga plucking out prominent chords over a soft beat.

**It don't matter what you see, I know I could never be**

**Someone that'll look like you**

**It don't matter what you say, I know I could never face**

**_Someone that could sound like you_ **

Hinata looked to Kageyama at the last lyric, but the man wasn’t looking at him. Instead, his gaze was just past him, focused on something where the other band resided on the other side of Hinata. After Kageyama had told him about his past with Oikawa and Iwaizumi, he had picked up on little things along the way; their dynamic, the way the air would shift when they were in the same room, the bits of tension they still held. But Kageyama has changed. He used this song to show that he has grown past their history, that he was able to take what had happened at face value and finally leave it behind him. Hinata knew how much this song meant to Kageyama, and just because of that, it meant a lot to Hinata, too.

_All the right friends in all the right places_

**_So yeah, we're goin' down_ **

_They got all the right moves in all the right faces_

**_So yeah, we're goin' down_ **

**_All the right friends in all the right places_ **

**_So yeah, we're goin' down_ **

**_They got all the right moves in all the right faces_ **

**So yeah, we're goin' down**

**_They say everybody knows, everybody knows where we're goin'_ **

**Yeah, we're goin' down**

**_They say everybody knows, everybody knows where we're goin'_ **

**Yeah, we're goin' down**

_Yeah we're going down_

_Yeah we're going down_

**All the right moves, hey**

_Yeah we're going down_

**They say all the right moves, hey**

_Yeah we're going down, they say..._

Suga finished off the song, picking out a few last notes with the soft violin playing in the background. When it finally faded off, Hinata turned to Kageyama, a huge smile carved from ear to ear. He wanted to ask him what he thought of the performance, if he liked it, if he had thought it was as perfect as Hinata did. He wanted to ask him to write a song with him, to make a song as beautiful as that one. But he was cut off by the sound of a guitar, and he was forced to stay quiet. He snapped his mouth shut and reluctantly turned to look at the other band. 

What he saw made his mouth open ajar again, but this time he was rendered absolutely silent. He no longer wanted to speak a single word.

Something was completely different. The members of The Grand Court looked strained, maybe even pained. Iwaizumi had his jaw clenched tight even as he picked at his guitar, Matsukawa and Hanamaki shared frequent glances, and Oikawa’s head bowed low with his body stuck behind the microphone stand instead of moving out to the front of the stage even as he began to sing.

* * *

Oikawa couldn’t see straight.

_That brat, Kageyama._

It was happening again, and Oikawa could do nothing to stop it. He couldn’t see or feel anything. Kageyama was moving on. He was moving ahead of Oikawa, and all he could do was stand frozen and watch.

But he couldn’t let it happen again. He couldn’t let Kageyama prove himself to be better again. This was all Oikawa had. This was all Oikawa ever had. This was his _life_. And Kageyama was just going to take it from him? If anyone deserved to be praised, it was Oikawa. It was him who would go days without sleeping, would practice songs until his fingers bled and grew callouses, would study melodies until his ears felt numb, would write countless lyrics until he couldn’t even pick up a pencil. It was him who worked himself to the bone to get to where he was, and so wasn’t it him who deserved the glory?

And, yet, he watched Kageyama and Hinata on the other half of the stage, singing together as if they had been partners for 20 years and not three months. It wasn’t fair.

But, Oikawa came to realize, his life really wasn’t all that fair.

Halfway through the song, Oikawa turned to the bandmate closest to him.

“We’re singing All I Wanted,” he spoke, and he tried not to flinch at the sharp pain it induced in his throat. _Don’t think about it_ , he pleaded to himself. “I know it’s not what we prepared,” he continued, looking down at the stage below his feet, “but I think we should–”

“Oikawa, no,” Iwaizumi cut him off. The man looked exhausted, like it was taking years off of his life just to deal with him. It made Oikawa want to scream, but he knew he couldn’t, it would cost them points if they made a ruckus during the other band’s performance. “We’re not performing a song we didn’t practice for. And especially not one you haven’t even sung with us. We should just stick to the plan.”

Oikawa inhaled deeply, trying to remain calm. “There’s no chance of us winning otherwise.”

“That’s some confidence you have in us.”

“The song we have lined up next is not going to win us this competition, Iwa-chan, and you know it.”

Iwaizumi exhaled a sigh. He did know it. “Look, Oikawa, this isn’t the time to be greedy. Just because you want to perform that song you wrote doesn’t mean we should.”

His fists clenched at his sides. _Greedy_. Iwaizumi just didn’t get it. The man had things he worried about more than music, like school. Like relationships. He didn’t see a future with music, unlike Oikawa. So, he couldn’t see that this was now or never for Oikawa.

“Some things you need to be selfish about,” he said, his voice stronger than he felt as he looked Iwaizumi right in the eyes. It felt like forever since he looked into those hazel orbs. It made his chest feel warm and his stomach stir. He felt like puking.

They stared at each other for what couldn’t have been longer than a second, but felt like hours for Oikawa. And just like that, Iwaizumi’s resolve crumbled with a sigh.

“Fine, whatever,” he said. “Do what you want, as always.”

Oikawa turned away, paying no mind to that last comment as he walked back up to his microphone. He barely heard Iwaizumi tell Hanamaki and Matsukawa about the change of plans and the resulting conversation of hushed concern that followed. None of them understood. Oikawa needed to at least have a chance of beating Kageyama, and there was no way for that unless he pushed himself further than he’d ever gone. He needed to sing his new song, even though he’d never sung it in practice. He needed to perform it, because for some reason, Oikawa knew this would be his last chance. They were in their last year of university, and he was well aware that his bandmates were planning to get jobs after graduation. They would leave him to pursue careers that they felt were more stable. He knew their passion for music didn’t go just as deep as his own. He had known that from the beginning.

So, this was his last chance.

Take Flight!’s song was coming to an end, the fading vocals bouncing off of each other in their final chorus. He gulped in a breath of air. His throat felt raw, his skin was sticky with sweat, and his limbs felt achy. But he just needed to push through one more song for today. Just one more great performance and he’ll be able to rest tonight. The song ended fully, and Iwaizumi wasted no time in beginning their song. Oikawa kept his head low, only lifting it slightly once he needed to start singing. His eyelids slipped closed.

** All I Wanted - Paramore ( **Bold** \- Oikawa) **

**Think of me when you're out, when you're out there**

**I'll beg you nice from my knees**

**And when the world treats you way too fairly**

**Well it's a shame I'm a dream**

**All I wanted was you**

**All I wanted was you**

That night after The Currents’ concert, Oikawa had returned home with a heavy heart. He realized then just how far away Iwaizumi had become. How unattainable he was. And so, he transferred all of his emotions, all of the hurt onto those sheets of paper. It had taken him long nights of no sleep, but he had just needed to get all of his feelings out. He needed the haunting thoughts out of his head.

**I think I'll pace my apartment a few times**

**And fall asleep on the couch**

**Wake up early to black and white reruns**

**That escaped from my mouth**

**Oh, oh**

This was the first time the others would hear the lyrics. Really, the first time _anyone_ would. He wondered if Iwaizumi would notice, would hear the words that Oikawa sang for him and finally realize that he was right there. He wondered if Iwaizumi could feel the hurt he had put him through.

**All I wanted was you**

**All I wanted was you**

**All I wanted was you**

**All I wanted was you**

He kept his eyes closed as he sang. Holding onto the microphone with both hands, he belted the lyrics with every last drop of energy he had. He needed them all to hear him, to _feel_ his emotions. They all needed to know. He reached the falsetto over and over with power. His singing was perfect even as his throat felt like it was on fire, like he was taking in lungfuls of smoke with every breath. He could do this. He could still sing this song just as he had practiced all those times before, and they could win.

**I could follow you to the beginning**

**Just to relive the start**

**And maybe then we'll remember to slow down**

**At all of our favorite parts**

But, as he began to sing the next verse, he could feel his vocal cords rubbing uncomfortably together. _Fuck,_ he thought, _fuck, fuck fuck._ His throat would never recover from this. He could feel it, he knew. His voice came out scratchy. 

_No, please. Not again._

He was so close. He had been so close to the end, to coming out on top, to showing everyone that he was capable. That he _deserved_ to be up on this stage with their attention. He had practiced this song in his apartment countless times, hitting the notes perfectly. But, this time, he was scared. For once, he was scared he wouldn’t be able to do it. 

His voice cracked on the last line of the verse.

**All I wanted was you**

And, just like that, Oikawa fell from his falsetto too early and his voice cracked at the end of his run.

His eyes burned. He squeezed them shut even tighter against the feeling.

**All I wanted was you**

**All I wanted was you**

**All I wanted was you**

**All I wanted was you**

He sang the next ones in a lower octave, his vocal cords physically unable to go any higher, and even then his voice continued to crack. Hot shamed washed over him. He should have been able to do it. How many times had he practiced this same song, these same runs? He had gone on and on about how much work he put into it, but in the end he still wasn’t good enough. He had failed. This was his last chance and he had failed. There was no going back.

He wanted to cry. His throat hurt so bad and he could feel a migraine blooming just behind his eyes, but he continued to sing. His eyes remained closed against the waves of the crowd.

For once in his life, he realized, he wished for people not to look at him.

Everything hurt. And all he could do was hope that Iwaizumi could physically feel the hurt in Oikawa’s voice as it continued to crack under the pressure. He hoped that the man now hurt just as much as he did.

Before he knew it, he was done singing. It was over. And without looking up at the sea of people just beyond the stage, he turned and walked off before the last chord had even faded out. He had sung his words, he showed everyone just how badly he wanted this, _needed_ this. He wore his emotions and his hurt on his sleeve. 

But, just like that, he knew it still hadn’t been enough.

* * *

“Fuck,” Iwaizumi cursed, slinging his guitar off of his shoulders and placing it next to the amp. “Stay here, I’ll go after him,” he said to Matsukawa and Hanamaki without looking at them. The sound of Oikawa’s voice breaking kept replaying in his ears, drowning out all other noise and thoughts.

“Iwaizumi–” one of them began to protest, probably Hanamaki, but he was already backstage before he could hear the rest.

He should have known better than to let Oikawa sing that song. He should have known that Oikawa would push himself too far, would injure himself again just like in high school. He should have been more insistent.

Iwaizumi pushed through the bustle of backstage, passing by stagehands and lingering band members and managers. None of them resembled that tall stature and familiar tuft of brown hair. He walked faster, willing himself not to break out into a run as he really didn’t need anymore unwanted attention on him and his band. 

Iwaizumi had noticed things were getting bad with Oikawa. The man wasn’t as talkative, he didn’t complain about things to Iwaizumi, and his smiles had gradually gotten more plastic. When was the first time he had even noticed something was off?

_The air was cold. Iwaizumi’s shoulders felt tight, and the atmosphere around them even more so._

_“Um, did you maybe wanna get some ramen? I think I saw a place on the way here.” It was the most nervous Iwaizumi had ever heard his best friend. He shouldn’t have been like that for just suggesting a place to eat. But Iwaizumi had made him like that. Iwaizumi had made it so that Oikawa wouldn’t feel so compelled to stick by him. He just wanted Oikawa to stay away._

_“Uh, sorry Oikawa, I can’t,” he had said. “I told that girl from last week I’d go see her.”_

_He hadn’t even bothered to look at Oikawa because he knew that if he did, he would lose all of his resolve. He knew that if he looked at the beautiful man, he would take back what he had said and would choose to go get that ramen instead of seeing that random girl once more. But he needed to remain strong, so he didn’t look up._

_A rush of air left Oikawa. “Well, alright, Iwa-chan. I wouldn’t have kept you so long if you had just told me earlier.”_

_And just like that, his walls broke. Why was he like that? Why did his voice sound so strained, so disappointed? His gaze snapped up to Oikawa, and his eyes froze on the man’s face. Oikawa’s eyes were closed against a stiff smile, the way Iwaizumi knew he smiled when he wanted to hide something. Slowly, he peeled his eyes open, and the corners of his mask of a smile faltered. Iwaizumi couldn’t hold back as he indulged in the brown orbs that stared at him, even as he saw the cloud of emotions in his irises. There was something there, just behind the mask that Iwaizumi had watched Oikawa build up through the many years they’d known each other._

_But his mind couldn’t help but think he was beautiful even in pain._

_The man gave him a smile that didn’t reach his eyes, his lips pulled taut like it were trying so hard to imitate the real thing. “Have fun on your date, I’ll see you at practice tomorrow.” Oikawa gave a small wave and left with that. Iwaizumi watched him leave, his head held high like always but his shoulders hunched in on himself. He knew something was wrong, but he told himself not to bother with it. He had wanted so badly to run after Oikawa, to comfort him and to hold him like he wanted to. But he was meant to stay away from Oikawa. So, he turned around and walked the opposite way._

And it went on like that from there. Iwaizumi continued to go against his own wishes and pulled away from Oikawa, the rope that tethered them together snapping one slim string at a time. As it frayed between them, he watched Oikawa begin to crumble. Iwaizumi was succeeding in the worst way possible, but even then, it wasn’t enough to hold his feelings back.

_He watched Oikawa sing in the little karaoke room as if it were a real stage. The man jumped up onto the small table in front of the couches, pointing to Iwaizumi as he continued to sing the lyrics. He hadn’t even needed to look at the screen of words._

_Iwaizumi had been put in a trance. Oikawa swayed his hips to the music, sliding his hands up and down his own torso in slow, sultry movements. His eyes had trailed up the man’s body, drinking in every movement. Then, he knew he was totally fucked as he couldn’t tear his eyes away from the performance._

_He was awoken from his stupor abruptly as the other men in the room applauded. He had quickly looked away, deciding to stare at the carpet beneath his feet. His heart was pounding in his chest._

_And then the man was at his side, squeezing onto the small couch and pressing into Iwaizumi’s side. He couldn’t handle it._

_“So, how was that Iwa-chan?”_

_Iwaizumi’s mind scrambled. He couldn’t let Oikawa see how much that had affected him. So he shrugged, casually he hoped. “You were a little pitchy,” he threw, hoping to distract Oikawa with the bite enough to keep his attention from Iwaizumi’s twitching hands and too-loud pulse._

_“How rude, Iwa-chan.”_

_Despite himself, he chuckled. It really was cute when Oikawa pouted like that. And without thinking, he placed a hand into the soft, tousled crown of hair on Oikawa’s head. He never knew how Oikawa got it to feel so soft and look like perfection at the same time. “You know it was great, as always,” he found himself saying. He looked at Oikawa, the other man staring back at him with a small smile. It was too real. Too pretty. And before he could get lost in the feelings that welled up in his chest, his hand slipped away from the hair and he let out a sigh._

_He hated it, but it needed to be done._

_“Um, I actually have to go.”_

_He hated the look of confusion that replaced Oikawa’s serene and genuine smile._

_“Huh? Why?”_

_He looked away. He needed to do it. He needed to distance himself from the man. He had already let himself go too far today. “I’m meeting up with someone,” he finally said._

_He could feel Oikawa’s heavy gaze on him. “Oh, Koharu-san?”_

_Iwaizumi barely stopped himself from flinching at the name. He never wanted to hear Oikawa say her name ever. And yet, here they were. He nodded stiffly._

_“I’m surprised you’re seeing her again Iwaizumi,” Matsukawa had said. Iwaizumi gulped thickly._

_“Yeah, y’know if you keep seeing her she’ll start to think you’re dating,” Hanamaki had added. Before Iwaizumi could stop himself, disgust made its way onto his face, his nose scrunching and lips curling into a grimace. He did not want to date that girl, no matter how nice she had been. He told himself he wouldn’t date someone until he knew he could love them fully, until he finally got over these feelings for the one person he couldn’t have._

_“Yeah, right,” he said as he got up from the couch. “Whatever, I’ll see you goons later. Don’t cause too much trouble.”_

_“You know we will,” Matsukawa promised, causing Iwaizumi to roll his eyes._

_“Don’t stay up too late tonight, alright,” he said as he looked down at Oikawa. He tried not to pay attention to the emotions that crept behind his eyes. He told himself he was imagining it. He patted the man on the head, just to feel the soft strands under his fingertips once more. He could allow himself that much._

_He left without another word, his chest warm with emotions that he pushed away and his fingers tingling with the ghost touch of silky hair._

_What the others didn’t know was that he had lied. He hadn’t had any plans to meet up with Koharu again. But, he reminded himself then, it was for the better. He needed to keep the lie that he was seeing other people up so that he could distract himself from the feelings that flooded to the surface of his skin every time he looked at Oikawa. He used the lie as an anchor and as a wedge to keep Oikawa at a safe distance._

_It was to keep them both from getting hurt. At least that was what he told himself as he walked back to his apartment, mind replaying the way Oikawa had moved, his smile, and the haunting look in the other man’s eyes when they were dragged back from that dream world._

The night of the club had been a turning point. It was after that night when Oikawa had completely stopped acknowledging his existence. He only remembered bits and pieces of that night, the ghost of hands, flashing lights, the rumble of bass, the slide of lips and tongues. But he had heard from Hanamaki and Matsukawa that he had danced for Oikawa for a bit before making out with a random girl for the rest of the night. He could only guess that that was why Oikawa was suddenly cold toward him. But he didn’t want to think about why the man barely looked at him. He didn’t let himself entertain any ideas past that of Oikawa finally catching on to how Iwaizumi was slowly trying to pull away.

And, now, Oikawa was avoiding him like the plague. Even when Iwaizumi tried to talk to him because he could see that something was going on with the other man, Oikawa continued to disregard him. Iwaizumi cursed himself because wasn’t this exactly what he had wanted? He wanted Oikawa out of his life, he wanted to pull away from Oikawa while he still could, before he got in too deep. He needed to keep himself away before they both got hurt.

But now that he got it, he wanted nothing more than for things to go back to the way they were before. Before he had realized just how unattainable Oikawa Tooru was.

He finally reached their dressing room, and lo and behold, there he was. The man of his dreams, and the same man who haunted his nightmares.

“Oikawa,” he said, and Oikawa’s shoulders went rigid, jumping up at the mere sound of his voice.

Iwaizumi hated the sight, his jaw clenching as he closed the door behind himself. It churned his stomach, the taste of acid in his mouth at the thought of Oikawa flinching because of him. How had they gotten here? How was it that Oikawa couldn’t even come to trust Iwaizumi with his problems, let alone to be in the same room as him?

_It had been late December of last year._

_It was the first time he had ever confided in anyone about the mix of feelings that he had come to know since high school._

_“But I just can’t bring myself to tell him. Everytime I think about it, I just can’t actually imagine how he’d react.”_

_“It’s because he’s untouchable,” Matsukawa had said simply. When asked what he meant by that, the other man continued. “All he’s ever known is the idea of people wanting him. Everyone wants him, and only a few can have him. But he’s not the type to stay with just one forever. His only passion is and will always be music. No one could ever stand in the way of that.”_

_And just like that, Iwaizumi’s entire reality shattered._

_Of course, Matsukawa hadn’t realized what those words would do to Iwaizumi, but they came to haunt him, leaving an ill feeling in the pit of his stomach. What Matsukawa had said was true. Nothing would come between Oikawa and music, not even Iwaizumi. And with that realization, Iwaizumi knew that he could never pursue his feelings. He just couldn’t. There was no way for it to end in anything but disaster, because there was no way for Oikawa to love anything more than he loved music._

_He decided then that his friendship with Oikawa was worth more than his hopeless feelings. So, he made the plan to hold back from Oikawa, to set some space between them until he could get rid of any last bit of feelings for his childhood best friend. It was the best he could come up with to keep both of them from getting hurt._

“Why did you do that,” he asked Oikawa. The man’s back was still to him. Iwaizumi’s mind was still relentlessly playing Oikawa’s breaking voice on loop. How could he have let Oikawa go that far? “You knew you were pushing yourself, and yet you still sang that stupid song.”

Oikawa scoffed, the sound coming out awkward and strained. “‘Stupid song’?” the man questioned in disbelief, his voice rough. Iwaizumi should have just told him to stop talking, to let his vocal cords rest. “Are you kidding me?”

“That–” Iwaizumi began, his mind racing. “That didn’t come out right. It’s just,” he wasn’t even sure what to say, “You may never be able to sing again if you caused serious damage, Oikawa.” In high school, Oikawa had done the exact same thing, pushing his vocal cords almost past the point of no return. They hadn’t even known if he’d be able to sing again back then, but of course Oikawa was persistent even in his recovery. Iwaizumi thought that maybe he had been in love with Oikawa since they were children, chasing the other boy with colorful beetles whilst listening to Oikawa’s voice float in the warm summery air around them. But it was then that Iwaizumi became aware of such feelings. It was then he realized just how much he was willing to do for Oikawa, how _scared_ he could feel for the other man.

Oikawa whirled around, his face dripping with anger but eyes glassy. Fire licked behind his teary eyes, and Iwaizumi could barely recognize him. He realized he had never seen that look directed at him before, and something pulled uncomfortably on his heart. “Don’t you think I knew that? I know the risks, I’ve known the risks since I injured my vocal cords the first time,” he argued, his voice getting louder. “But you’ve never stopped me before.”

Frustration clawed at his insides. “I tried, Oikawa. I tried to ask what was wrong, I told you to take better care of yourself. I _tried_.”

“Well then just stop! Stop trying to be nice to me!” Oikawa yelled, his beautiful voice broken and cracking with every other syllable. Iwaizumi hated it, he hated just thinking about how it may feel for Oikawa to even speak. “I don’t need it, I can’t _take it_ anymore!”

His brows furrowed. “What do you mean _trying_ to be nice to you?” Never in his life had he ever had to _try_ to be nice to Oikawa. If anything, he had to mask his concern for the man through his teasing.

“Are you serious?” Oikawa asked, voice dripping with emotion. “Countless times, you’ve chosen someone else over me, and yet I still thought I had a chance. But I've had enough! I finally saw that even if I presented myself to you, I would never be the option you’d choose. So stop _lying_ and acting as if you care about me. For both of our sakes, just _stop_.”

“What are you talking about?” But Iwaizumi knew. Deep down he knew. From the recesses of his mind, images of Oikawa under colorful lights flashed behind his eyelids and the ghost of lips on his. His throat felt dry. Even in his drunken state, he refused himself to indulge in his deepest wants. Was it even possible that Oikawa may have wanted the same thing then? “What does that have to do with any of this,” he gritted out, his voice sounding deep and foreign even to his own ears. He couldn’t process any of it.

There was a small pause, the room stagnant with thick silence. “Y’know,” Oikawa began in a low voice, “for as long as we’ve known each other, I thought you’d at least actually care about me. But instead you just pushed me away the time I needed you most.”

He was rendered speechless. So Oikawa _had_ noticed. Again, it felt like everything was happening too fast for him to even deal with it. “I…”

Oikawa gave a sad, broken laugh. “Right. Nothing. You can’t even say anything to me now.”

“Stop, Oikawa, okay?” he said, getting desperate. This wasn’t how things were supposed to go. “It’s not as easy as you think. Not everything is so simple.”

“Fine, then please elaborate. I’ve been waiting for an explanation, so if there is one, I’m all ears.”

Iwaizumi paused. He couldn’t bring himself to say it. How could he when Oikawa was madder than he’d ever been toward him? How could he when Oikawa seemed to hate him now? Did he even deserve to tell Oikawa his feelings when he was the one that messed everything up?

Before he could even finish his thoughts, Oikawa scoffed. “What the hell are you so afraid of?”

Iwaizumi bristled. _Everything_. He wanted to scream it at the top of his lungs. He wanted to tell him all about his fears, how he was too afraid of his own feelings so he had to result in pushing the one thing he loved away. But could he really tell Oikawa that?

“Why can’t you just tell me why?” Oikawa pleaded, his voice so broken with the weight of his emotions and his overworked vocal cords. “Just give me an explanation, you _owe_ me one. The whole reason I’m like this is because of you! You pushed me away, you pushed me to my limit, you pushed me to write that ‘stupid’ song you apparently hate so much. It’s all because of you! So I deserve to know what the hell went through your head to somehow decide that I wasn’t _worth_ it anymore.”

“It wasn’t like that,” he said, his own voice nothing in comparison to Oikawa’s booming one. “I thought that if I kept you at a distance, everything would be okay.”

“What is that even supposed to mean?” Oikawa was furious. His hands were waving about with every word he spoke, his face a mural of emotions. Even when he wasn’t trying, he was the perfect performer. “How could you just decide all of a sudden to do that? Didn’t it ever occur to you what that would do to me? That it would hurt me?”

Iwaizumi’s gaze floated down to the floor between them. He flexed his hands at his sides. He deserved this, he deserved to be questioned by Oikawa when he had caused so much turmoil for the man. But still, he couldn’t tell Oikawa the whole truth, could he? He had gone this far to make sure his feelings wouldn’t be found out, to make sure they wouldn’t hurt each other. But wasn’t it already too late?

“I figured that this was a simple enough sacrifice to save our friendship, to make sure that neither of us got hurt by each other later on.” He couldn’t even believe his own words now.

“Who told you that you had the right to decide that for me!” Oikawa’s voice was still breaking, turning high-pitched and crackly on every syllable. Iwaizumi flinched against the sound. “I can make my own decisions! I’ll decide if I want to be hurt by you. And for the record," he said with a bitter scoff, "you’ve already hurt me more than either of us had ever thought possible!”

He flinched again, gnawing at his bottom lip. “I didn’t mean to.”

“That’s all you can say? That you didn’t mean for all of this to happen?”

What else was he supposed to say? He really hadn’t meant for any of this. His feelings for Oikawa were supposed to pass like water under a bridge, and then they could go about their lives as normal. It was clear that that wasn’t going to happen anymore. Where had he gone wrong? He just wanted to keep his friendship with Oikawa safe from the confusion that would sprout with the addition of his feelings. And who was he to even assume that Oikawa could possibly have any sort of reciprocation? He was the sort of man to take his liberties and run. Iwaizumi knew him since they were babies, and so he knew that nothing mattered in this life to Oikawa more than music. Who was he to be the one to come between that?

“Really, who were you benefiting from pushing me away? Because it definitely wasn’t me or our friendship that you were trying to save. You did it for yourself!”

His hands clenched into fists at his sides. He couldn’t do this anymore. There was no point, he had come this far and failed. He had no other choice. “Fine! You’re right!” he admitted, his voice coming out loud in the small of their dressing room. He didn’t miss the way Oikawa flinched at his raised voice as he finally met his eyes again. “I did it because I _am_ scared. I’m scared that if I finally allow myself to love you, you’ll realize how much better you can do. You’ll see that I’m nothing and you’ll find someone else who actually deserves you. You’ll leave me behind like I know you’re meant to, and I’ll be stuck here with the burden of my feelings for you.”

Silence filled the air between after he spoke those words. He’d finally said it. And now Oikawa would leave him.

Oikawa blinked owlishly at him, his eyelashes fluttering rapidly. “What?” the man asked dumbly, breathy and broken.

Iwaizumi huffed. He was too tired for this. He didn’t need Oikawa’s rejection right now, on top of every other horrible thing that had happened between them thus far. Really, it had all been his fault. He should have known that his feelings for the man were dangerous no matter how hard he tried to avoid the consequences. “Whatever, Oikawa, it doesn’t even fucking matter right now–”

“Yes it does!” Oikawa exclaimed, stepping closer to Iwaizumi. “What the fuck are you talking about?”

“ _None of it matters!_ ” Iwaizumi shouted right back. Really, it didn’t. His feelings never mattered, and he should have realized that sooner and just forgotten them entirely.

But when he looked back up to Oikawa’s face after his outburst, the wind was knocked out of his lungs at the absolute _hurt_ spelled across the taller man’s face. His eyebrows drew inward as he mouthed around unspoken words, eyes searching. But in the end, Oikawa snapped his jaw shut. Iwaizumi could practically hear the grinding of his teeth.

Oikawa stepped forward, his head bowed low and eyes darkened. He shouldered past him, bumping into him roughly before heading out of the room, but not before muttering two words.

“Whatever, Iwaizumi.”

And Iwaizumi stood there, frozen.

He couldn’t remember the last time he had heard his full name on Oikawa’s tongue. 

A wheezing breath slipped past his lips as he brought a hand up to the front of his shirt. “Fuck,” he muttered, leaning forward as he clutched his shirt into a fist, holding onto dear life as he felt like what had to have been a heart attack. He had to be dying. Maybe all of the oxygen had left the room with Oikawa. He watched on in paralyzed horror as drops of water fell from his face and landed on the carpet below him, leaving darkened circles. 

He sucked in a stuttered breath. It took him a moment to realize that he was just crying, that he actually was breathing even though it felt like his entire body had grown still and rendered useless.

He wasn’t dying. But, no. No, no, _no_. This wasn’t how things were supposed to be. 

But wasn’t this what he wanted? Hadn’t his plan been to pull away from Oikawa, to leave the man before either of them could get hurt? 

But that was the thing, it was too late for that. He had hurt Oikawa, and even though he couldn’t admit it to himself before now, he was hurting, too. It all hurt _so much_. He wanted Oikawa. He knew he wanted to be with him from the very start, subconsciously declaring to stay by Oikawa’s side for the rest of his life even when he was a mere toddler.

He dropped to his knees, clutching his head between his hands as he let himself finally cry over his lost love. So, this was heartbreak, he realized, feeling the physical twinge in his chest as silent sobs racked his body. And he remained like that until Hanamaki and Matsukawa walked into the dressing room and found the mess that he had been left as, later telling him that they had lost to Take Flight!.


End file.
